Broker Report on the Citadel : Internal Structure and Organization
by LogicalPremise
Summary: A proposal by Seven Seven. This is an in-universe document story covering the galactic history, the Citadel, C-Sec, Citadel political groups, the ministries and subcommittees, Spectres, and the Citadel Fleet. Written by the mighty Xabiar, with inputs from several members of the Editing Gang and maybe a story excerpt here and there. Most likely teen, no foul language expected.
1. Introduction

**LP's Note:**_ Welcome to the Shadow Broker's files, the long-awaited masterpiece that explains not only the Citadel government and forces, but also galactic history._

_Sharp readers will note that some of the things here clash with the Cerberus Files or the STG Files. That is intentional. These are in-universe documentation stories. You want the truth? You can't handle the truth._

_All of this is written by the incomparable _**_Xabiar _**_who writes both the **"**_**_XCOM Files"_**_ as well as his own X-COM Series and documentation pieces for **SLotH4**. **Xabiar** is one of the most skilled writers I've ever met and his take on my vision blew me away with its coherence and style._

_Enjoy! **Xab's** notes – when he has any – will appear at the _**_bottom_**_ of the chapter._

* * *

**INTRODUCTION**

The room he sat within was well-lit, if plain in furnishings. Most who stepped within would be more inclined to assume it was an armory, not an office. Across the leftmost wall were racks of assault rifles, pistols, and sniper rifles. A Krysae, several Phaestons, and a couple Widows were some of the weapons on display; the majority of which were turian, but there were some exotic weapons which had been custom-made by quarian, asari, and human vendors.

If one had the money, it wasn't that difficult to find those willing to adapt some of the more valuable alien weapons to a different physiology.

Expensive, but worth it.

It wasn't as though there was much else to spend his small fortune on.

Opposite the racks of weapons were several suits of armor, all kept in prime condition. The first was his old Blackwatch armor. Scratched, visibly damaged, and overall the most ineffective piece of equipment he kept, but it held some sentimental value to him. That armor had kept him alive through many a mission.

The second suit was more of a novelty, a SKYTALON suit which he'd acquired back in the day, and had spent some time training with. He certainly couldn't match the very best of the pilots, as his role was far different these days, but he could quite easily hold his own should it be required. His mandibles flicked as he was reminded that he really should fly with the suit, since it had been over a week since his last excursion.

Unfortunately, priorities took precedence. Especially in this position.

The third suit was a custom-made battle-suit. Black and armed to the teeth with anything a walking weapon of mass destruction would need. Micro-missile systems, omni-shielding and blades, flamethrowers, and more. He wouldn't be sprinting around in it, and would be quite exposed in combat, but in terms of protection, it couldn't be beat.

And the final one… well, that was more of a memento he had no intention of wearing again.

But it served as a good reminder.

A black carpet rolled from the door to the workstation that effectively functioned as his desk; the desk which the turian now sat before. A white light shone directly upon him, bringing to attention the scarring of the fringe and face. The duality of the eyes, one natural and blue, the other white and artificial, almost glowed under the illumination.

Talons absentmindedly tapped on the haptic keyboard as the many graphs, images, and displays being projected on the white haptic screen passed by. Most were unimportant right now – minor updates and network changes. News broadcasts were always playing in the background, which he found some amusement in listening to.

So much spin and propaganda. Knowing the truth made him realize how artificial and manufactured everything was.

The price of being an operative of the Shadow Broker. One learned the truths of the galaxy.

Contrary to what many believed, the truth was not always good, fair, or right.

It was rare for him to fall into such ruminations, but a mixture of the recent news and the newest assignment he had been given – one the Broker had _personally_ ordered him to complete – had stirred some reflection. Such direct commands were almost never given to subordinates other than his favored operatives. Tazzik, Tetrimus, and a few others.

He honestly preferred it that way.

Those who caught the eye of the Broker tended to end up dead, or among the most influential in the galaxy.

Usually dead.

It was interesting to compare himself and others who found themselves in the employ of the Broker. Those of all stripes, personalities, and species had found themselves within the Network at one point or another, but their roles and what they did tended to be drastically different. He'd observed it quite a bit over the years.

The fools and the stupid were among the lowest of those attracted to the power and secrecy of the Network. Individuals who were idiotic enough to believe that they could take the Broker's secrets, use them, and never need to worry about returning the favor. Or worse, attempting to use such secrets _against_ the Broker.

Such were only useful as cannon fodder and the paltry amount of information they had. There was a place for chipped-up soldiers in the Network, but he personally found it more effective to transition them to usable assets. There was no shortage of slavers and unscrupulous scientists in the galaxy. They were too unreliable to be stationed assets, and too stupid to be left unchecked. Ironically, they posed something of a dilemma.

He cocked his head, reconsidering. Well, a dilemma which was easily decided by a cost-benefit analysis.

The ambitious were also attracted to the Shadow Broker. They only usually needed some trivial amount of information to achieve their goals, or rise in the ranks of their place of employment. Such could be easily provided to a point. They were usually smart enough to not cause problems and served as quite reliable, if fairly low-level, assets. Unfortunately, they were usually not smart enough to ask questions _before_ accepting what the Broker offered.

And that was usually how the Broker liked it. Indentured servitude to the Network in all but name. Trapped forever, not daring to act for fear of their lives coming down around them, and all inevitably realized how they had been set up from the very beginning.

The truly intelligent individuals – they understood how the Broker operated and treated him with the respect he was due. They paid their favors, and took what they needed, but they didn't cause trouble for the Broker, and _never_ asked for something until they knew what was needed in return. They were skeptical and suspicious – in the beginning at least.

However, he had observed many a supposedly scrupulous individual intend to only use the Broker for their ideal of 'good' and over the years become more ensnared in the web they were involved in. Unlike others, they could leave the Broker entirely, and it wouldn't matter because there would be _something_ the Broker had as leverage. It only took one agreement, one deal, and they were compromised.

Not to mention that the Broker did not lie to them. He gave his clients exactly what they wanted. Their only mistake was believing that he didn't have a plan or agenda of his own. It amazed him how legitimately intelligent individuals believed that the Broker was impartial or only motivated by things such as _money_.

Admittedly, he had no idea what _actually_ drove the Shadow Broker. He had never even met the enigmatic titan in-person. But he was smart enough to know that the Broker _had_ a plan. He had a strategy. He had a _goal_.

It was not his place to ask, and that suited him fine.

As for where he fell in this hierarchy of individuals drawn to the Broker? He had _foresight_, as did several others. He had never had any interest in being a mere 'asset,' or using the Broker for his own ends, or those of the ones he answered to. But he knew enough about the Broker to know that the safest way of dealing with the Broker was to take no half measures.

All in.

And here he was today, a turian with more secrets within reach of his talons than most sapient beings could ever dream of. He did not know _everything_, of course, but it was enough for him to piece together some interesting conclusions. And he knew that the Broker had some level of trust in him as he had moved from a lower Network administrator to levels of higher and higher importance.

'_Trust_'?

His mandibles flared. No, wrong word.

The Broker had decided he was '_reliable_.' He did his job, did it well, and that was it. He was quite certain the Shadow Broker trusted no one, and neither did he. He was well-paid, and wanted for nothing, but that didn't mean much to him anymore. What drove him now was an interest in seeing how everything played out by actors far smarter than he was.

A show he could safely observe from afar. A show that almost none would know the true story of.

Perhaps the Shadow Broker would remove him one day, but at this point, it would only be due to a massive blunder. He was past the phase of worrying about liquidation teams coming to burn him in the night. Or perhaps not. It wouldn't surprise him to learn that the Broker planned for such an event.

Yet he doubted it. The Broker did not do things without reason.

Still, at times he did wonder what the enigmatic shadow was thinking. The assignment itself was peculiar, especially for him.

The _Citadel_.

It seemed… _redundant_, initially. There were so many documents and reports on the Citadel that it was staggering to comprehend. Yet when he'd actually looked, he had been relatively surprised to find that no single comprehensive report on the Citadel existed. There were reports on the various _aspects_ of the Citadel, but it was scattered, isolated, and compilations out-of-date.

Admittedly, the Citadel was undergoing some major changes as well. The humans and quarians adjusting to their elevated status as members of the Council, as well as the repairs and damage to the Citadel and _Destiny Ascension_. It all made for a perfect reason for the Broker to want a clear and unobstructed picture of what was happening on the station – and what to expect from it.

He set down the physical sheet of paper the message had been delivered to him on.

At least Shepard would no longer be around to screw things up further.

He pulled up the list of assets still on the Citadel and got to work.

* * *

**INTERNAL BROKER NETWORK**

**REPORT ****C-099**

**THE CITADEL COUNCIL**

Report Category: Organization | Comprehensive

Report Classification: Level 10

Report Author: Operations Director Lavin Vevonis

Report Requisition Official: The Shadow Broker

Organization of Interest: The Citadel Council

Organization Alias(es)/Alternate Name(s): "Citadel"; "Citadel Forces"; "the Council"

Organization Type(s): Government; Committee

Capital/Base of Operations: Citadel Station

Government Type(s): Authoritarian | Moderate Dictatorship

Date of Foundation: 0 GS

Date of Collapse/Dissolution: N/A

* * *

**FORWARD**

* * *

The Citadel itself is often regarded as one of the landmarks of the galaxy, and has been the center of galactic power since its discovery. The Citadel Council was established as the beginning of the galactic community, and has remained the center of galactic power. Regardless of the capabilities of other governments or entities, the fact remains that the Citadel appears to hold the ultimate political, economic, and military power of the galaxy – and it can bring all of it to bear against its enemies.

In truth, this is a mixture of propaganda and facts. While much of this can be applied to the modern Citadel Council – especially with the recent additions – in the past, it has certainly not been invulnerable, all-powerful, or even victorious in all circumstances. It is also worth noting that the Citadel Council has its own series of vulnerabilities and weaknesses, which are admittedly present in all institutions, and with a governmental entity of this size and scale, avoiding such would be impossible.

It is first important to realize the strengths of the Citadel and where their largest threat to others lies. It is not primarily military. In theory, the Citadel Military Forces are composed of the best of the member species, and enjoy a reputation as being the elite and apolitical, as being assigned to the Citadel Military is often seen as an honor (depending, of course, on your opinion of the Citadel/Council itself) and such appointments are (usually) made based on merit. Furthermore, a majority of individuals who join are effectively declaring their allegiance to the 'greater good of the galactic community,' and not their own racial governments.

Presumably.

The Citadel Military is a dangerous force when mobilized, as the majority of their forces are equal in training and discipline compared to the Turian Hierarchy for example, which is not necessarily surprising as they take inspiration and methods from other militaries across the galaxy. With this said, the other species tend to edge them in direct specialties such as biotics, infowar techniques, and sheer numbers. It is largely where the idealistic, ambitious, or well-connected of the galaxy's military inevitably end up.

But their primary power comes from the extensive political and economic control they wield. While technically each member species is still under their own government, failure to comply with Citadel regulations and directives will almost always result in disastrous consequences for the species in question (with the hanar and drell a notable exception). Citadel-aligned companies and individuals will withdraw their business, tourism would be curtailed, and their chances of receiving any kind of protection or assistance are gone, as blacklisting by the Citadel is equivalent to a political death sentence.

Of course, this can be lifted, but when the Citadel has the advantage, they will _always_ negotiate so they will receive the most out of any agreement, and extract multiple concessions from the offending party. Very few have the means or will to openly defy the Citadel, and most comply without being significantly prompted.

This report will go into extensive detail on the inner workings of all aspects of the Citadel Council, including Citadel Station itself. It will cover the history, organizational structure, military capabilities, intelligence capabilities, motives, plans, and other noteworthy pieces of information that have been recovered. This report has been compiled meticulously over an eight-month period utilizing nearly the entirety of our assets on Citadel Station, three-quarters of our assets in Citadel Space, and ten percent of assets placed throughout the various governments of Citadel Council species.

Please note that the terms 'Citadel' and 'Council' will both be used when describing this organization, with 'Citadel' being used when referring to the organization as a whole, and 'Council' for referring to decisions or actions directly tied to Citadel leadership.

All original reports and documents will be linked and cited as it relates to this report itself. This report will be separated into seven major sections, which will be listed below:

NOTE: Major figures of notes will be listed and described in the appropriate sections. Please see attachment C-099-156 for a separate list of figures of note which have been documented throughout this report.

**SECTION 1: Foundation and History** – Provides a historical overview of the Citadel Council and galactic history as a whole, including discovery by the Asari Republic, formation of the Citadel Council, involvement in major historical events, the Refusal Wars, and the gradual expansion and growth of the organization itself. This section will be up-to-date as of the submission of this report.

**SECTION 2: The Citadel Council and Embassies** – Cover the inner workings of the Citadel Council itself, as well as the impact it has over legislation and economic matters. It will also cover all racial embassies and their internal structures and organization. This does NOT cover the Subcommittees.

**SECTION 3: Citadel Subcommittees** – Covers the internal structure, function, and political/economic/legislative capabilities of all nine Citadel Subcommittees – both public and private – which are responsible for all Citadel regulations and policy proposals, votes, and revisions. The seven public Subcommittees are as follows:

\- The Subcommittee of Defense

\- The Subcommittee of Commerce

\- The Subcommittee on Sentient Rights

\- The Subcommittee on Health

\- The Subcommittee on Habitability

\- The Subcommittee on Science

\- The Subcommittee on Diplomacy and Integration [Established after the Benezia Incident]

The two private Subcommittees are as follows:

\- The Subcommittee on Privacy and Intelligence

\- The Subcommittee on Precursor Matters [Established after the Benezia Incident]

**SECTION 4: The Citadel Military** – Covers the capabilities, organization, composition, and role of the Citadel Military. This includes the Citadel Fleet, the Citadel Defense Force (CDF), the Council Special Tasks Group (CSTG), Citadel Intelligence (CINT), and the Council Special Operations Group (CSOG). This does NOT cover the SPECTREs.

**SECTION 5: Citadel Security (C-Sec)** – Covers the capabilities, organization, composition, and role of Citadel Security (C-Sec), their impact on Citadel Station and law enforcement on the galactic scale, and relationship to other species governments, law enforcement agencies, and the SPECTREs. Will also include major cases (both successful and unsuccessful) that C-Sec was significantly involved in.

**SECTION 6: SPECTREs** – Covers the recruitment, capabilities, organization, composition, and role of the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance (SPECTRE) division of the Citadel Council. Due to the organization of the SPECTREs, this will have a far larger focus on the major individuals within it, as well as their tactics and capabilities. It will cover major (both known and unknown) operations, inter-division relations between individual SPECTREs, as well as the organization's relationship to the species governments and galactic law enforcement. This also will cover the impact of recent Council directives concerning the internal transparency of the SPECTREs following the treason of Saren Arterius.

**SECTION 7: Citadel Station **– Covers the lesser-known aspects and secrets of the Citadel which the Council has suppressed or hidden for a multitude of reasons. Primarily covers the contents of the Citadel Archives and Vaults, the Keepers, and the origin and purpose of Citadel Station itself.

While it should not need to be stated, comments as they relate to the goals, stability, and security of the Broker Network will also be made as they are needed.

* * *

**LINK-NET SECURE TRANSMISSION**

**DEDICATED SOURCE DECRYPT… COMPLETE.**

**TRANSMISSION BEGINS:**

Vevonis. Proceed. A level six acquisitions team and two level ten insertion teams are authorized, as well as funding located in accounts JRM-9292-Xana and JRM-4948-Kolo. Barla Von will reach out to you to transfer at the usual window of transmission.

**CARRIER SIGNAL LOST**

**TRANSMISSION ENDS**

**DISCONNECTING FROM LINK-NET**

**SESSION SCRUBBED**

* * *

**Xabiar's Note:** _A while ago, __**LP**_ _asked me if I'd be interested in doing a supplementary document on the Citadel Council, and of course I said 'yes.' Took me a while, but it's being done and I'm happy with how it's shaping up. Hopefully, everyone will find it an interesting addition to the Premisverse. For anyone who has read something of mine before, it's going to be more in the style of the SotP Addenda I write for __**SLotH4**__, and less XCOM Files-esque._

_Thanks also to __**LP**_ _for letting me do this. He sets a very high bar that I hope I can meet here._


	2. Foundation and History

**LP's Note:**_ You wanted a timeline? Here it is._

_Note – again – that some things here conflict with the text, and the Cerberus Files and/or STG Files. Again, this is deliberate, as they are in-universe documents._

_The truth is written in 'Okeer Cookies,' available in the Discord Chat._

_This chapter is written by **Xabiar **with assistance from the Editing Gang._

_Enjoy! _**_Xab's_**_ notes – when he has any – will appear at the **bottom** of the chapter._

* * *

**THE CITADEL COUNCIL**

**SECTION 1: FOUNDATION AND HISTORY**

* * *

**OVERVIEW**

The history of the Citadel Council is a history of the current era of the galaxy itself. The Citadel has caused, been involved in, or otherwise contributed to most, if not all, significant events in the galaxy since its founding. While there is clear evidence precursor civilizations inhabited the Citadel, they existed so long ago as to no longer be relevant – with the exception of the Protheans, Inusannon, and Reapers.

The only other comparable entity of similar influence, power, and age would be the Hanar Ascendancy, which itself is older than the Citadel, though has refrained from involvement in many galactic affairs outside of the Refusal Wars. The times that both have clashed have almost always been one-sided, bloody, and raised more questions than answers. A large portion of this section will review the Refusal Wars, the circumstances surrounding them, and the impact of the conflicts.

This section will cover all major developments and decisions made by the Citadel Council, as well as their evolution and growth since the asari originally discovered the Citadel. Please note that this section will not cover organizational structures, dossiers on major figures, or other specific information that is not historical. Please refer to the appropriate sections for relevant information.

* * *

**ARRIVAL TO THE CITADEL**

* * *

**HANAR**: Despite Citadel propaganda to the contrary, the asari were _not_ the first species to set foot on the Citadel. There is credible and extensive evidence showing that the hanar made one or more journeys to the Citadel for unknown purposes. The Ascendency state this in their own texts, but considering how fanatically slanted the High Chorus is, most people do not take them seriously, if they are aware of them at all.

However, it is more than the word of the Ascendency that was taken into consideration. There are sensor readings, recordings, and other very hard evidence (including several hanar found in stasis within the Archives, pieces of pre-Refusal era hanar integration technology, and what is believed to be hanar or Prothean jewelry only seen within Hanar Space – please refer to SECTION 7 of this report for elaboration) from Citadel Station itself that confirm that the hanar _were_ on the Citadel and were either unaware or apathetic of the security measures of Citadel Station. We know that the Citadel Council _is_ aware of this inconvenient truth, and initially believed the hanar may have tampered with the systems, but this fear has gradually faded.

_Suspiciously_ faded, I may add. Considering the events of the Refusal Wars and the inexplicable link between the hanar and Citadel, it is clear that the hanar were doing _something_ on the station – and the fact that no one appears to even speculate what that might be is concerning. The hanar were not going there just to pay their respects to their Enkindlers.

There was a mission to complete, and they finished whatever they were doing long before the asari even arrived.

**ASARI**: The discovery of the Citadel by the asari was not, as many assume (and so the Thirty claim), an accident. There is a _significant_ amount of evidence to suggest – primarily from the Temple of Athame – that the Thirty were looking for, or expected to find, something in the vicinity of Citadel Space.

Cross-check early asari colonization and you will note that while they _could_ have spread in all directions, they focused their expansion closer and closer to the Citadel, which is something no one should believe is a coincidence. We do not know if they were guided by Prothean texts or documents, or even functioning VIs, but they were expecting to find something eventually, and were concerned there was going to be a war over it.

Consider that this expansion burst was accompanied by the mass development of preliminary asari naval programs, something the Thirty found reasons to continue after their discovery of the remnants of several pre-spaceflight species that had gone extinct. The Thirty stated this was to protect the asari in the event one of these species was hostile. In truth, it was likely in case they reached the Citadel and found it occupied.

As it turned out, when the AEV _Graceful Gaze_ set their sights upon the Citadel, they found it unguarded, and as the asari explain, they boarded the Citadel, confirmed it was unoccupied and departed joyously to carry the news that they had landed on the Citadel. Likely with some token praise given to Athame as well.

The only factual part about the official asari account is that the AEV _Graceful Gaze_ was the first asari vessel to observe the Citadel. It's not completely clear _when_ the official story was changed, though it was shortly after the Council was established and the Thirty decided they wanted to present a certain face to the galaxy. The story of asari invading the Citadel did not match a peaceful and diplomatic species.

The true story is likely only known to the Thirty, and the gradual reduction of the discovery of the Citadel – what should have been a defining moment in their history – into a minor portion of their history at best. Truthfully, this is a story the asari have not gone to great efforts to cover up. While a number of actual documents and reports have been classified and kept by the Thirty and stored in the Citadel Archives, there are a number of documents that reference 'asari armies' and 'preparing for war' in reference to the Citadel.

This is a truth of history that is out there for the curious, but most simply do not care, if they bother to wonder in the first place. Even most asari within the Thirty do not question this account of the discovery of the Citadel.

Now recall that the asari were preparing for the possibility of hostile occupation. They didn't send a _single ship_ to what they believed were the coordinates of the Citadel, they sent a _fleet_, with the _Graceful Gaze_ as the flagship, commanded by a certain Irilla T'Rome, who was the current Royal Paladin of the Clan, who led a small army of justicars, War priestesses, and asari commandos into Citadel Space.

These were the elite of the asari, they came expecting the worst. They were initially concerned when the saw the derelict Prothean warships hovering outside the arms of the Citadel, but soon realized they were abandoned.

Please note the _multiple Prothean warships_. This prompted an investigation and we determined that none of them were nearly as advanced or large as the primary one, the _Destiny Ascension_, which serves as the flagship of the Citadel Fleet. Nonetheless, the asari do maintain a very small fleet of Prothean warships in a remote and heavily guarded sector of Asari Space that they've kept to themselves for centuries, likely to serve as a final contingency.

Returning to the topic at hand, when they didn't encounter any resistance, they switched to their secondary objectives. More ships were brought in containing technicians and computer scientists and they set about figuring out as much as they could about the Citadel after moving most of the Prothean warships to Asari Space. The Thirty claim that they did not tamper with the Citadel in any malicious ways and the station gradually adapted to them.

This is only partially true. There is nothing to indicate that critical systems of the Citadel were compromised by the asari, but this was _not_ for lack of trying. Irilla gave very explicit orders that every part of the Citadel was to be slaved to asari control, and initially they found some success. However, the further they descended, the worse events got.

The systems were incomprehensible and there were fears that there was some kind of intelligence or security system actively combating subversion efforts, and asari were being found dead and their bodies cannibalized by what they believed to be the supposedly-benign Keepers. Eventually, Irilla revised her plan, and instead had the asari secure what they could, and quartered off areas that were known to be lethal.

What is interesting in this is that the hanar did not seem to have _any_ of these issues when they explored the station.

Eventually, it was declared safe for civilian occupancy, and as a majority of the Citadel was underdeveloped, asari began constructing what would later be known as the 'Wards.' The Wards would not be finished until centuries later, and by multiple species ultimately contributing to it, but the asari can take credit for a full twenty percent of the design and production.

It should be noted that the asari were _not_ responsible for the construction of the underlying infrastructure of the Wards, such as electricity, plumbing, and integration to the life-support of Citadel Station itself. Most, if not all of this, can be attributed to the Keepers, who built and maintained the structures autonomously. The asari also modified the Presidium to a degree, though the original construction was assumed to be done by the Keepers.

By now, the asari were trying to determine the chances of another species finding the Citadel, as they had noted only a few relays which could connect to it. As this question was being debated, a solution was abruptly forced, as the salarians made first-contact.

**SALARIANS**: Unlike the asari, the salarians _did_ find the Citadel by accident, or at least that specific location by accident. It is suspected the salarians knew the asari existed and had performed limited reconnaissance against Thessia (though solely through drones and infowar hacks which were far beyond asari technological capabilities – or so everyone assumes).

As a result, when the salarian scouts arrived outside the Widow Nebula and faced down the asari fleet, they probably were not surprised by the occupation. The asari, though prepared to fight, immediately saw that they were in a superior position. Standing down, they opened a line of communication to the salarian scout, which conveniently had a first-contact package it sent to the asari.

The ship was allowed to dock at the Citadel, and as it turned out, the salarians happened to have a technical specialist, a linguist, and several scientists all on board. Something which was _not_ standard for salarian scout ships. The asari already had a number of specialists on the Citadel, as it was only second in importance to Thessia itself and there is solid proof that had the asari been allowed to develop in peace for several centuries, it would have been the center of their territory and ruled exclusively by the Thirty.

As it turned out, that would not come to pass.

Some rudimentary communication – primarily through shallow bonds – was done and the salarians departed with a significant amount of data and returned to the SIX who sent a number of delegates, technical teams, and specialists to the Citadel prior to the official arrival of the Circle of Dalatrasses. Both factions harbored deep suspicions of each other, and the asari were concerned about salarian betrayal, and the salarians were concerned they would lead their dalatrasses into a trap.

In a show of good faith, the asari let the salarians look at the systems of the Citadel they hadn't been able to penetrate, perhaps hoping that they would achieve something they'd failed to do. The salarians were unsuccessful, but the exercise proved to be the spark needed for both sides to commit to a formal meeting, one of the most momentous in galactic history.

Several weeks later, the Council of Matriarchs and Circle of Dalatrasses met in what is now the Citadel Chambers and together established the Citadel Council.

**FORMATION OF THE CITADEL COUNCIL**: To this day the public has little to no idea of the delicate negotiations between both species that nearly lasted a year in total. Most accounts center on the vaunted meeting of Lidya T'Armal and High Dalatrass Shiron Ergohai, but the truth isn't as simple. Both leaders _did_ have a private conversation that greatly strengthened the trust between each species, but the event was split into several distinct parts beyond that meeting.

The first was the initial meeting, where both sides heavily relied on translators, although the asari had an advantage due to their bonding capabilities. The asari were largely confident of their position, and interestingly, the salarians were as well. Neither side knew how long anything they decided upon would last, and the first weeks were a series of probing and prodding questions until both sides decided that neither was threatening enough to break off negotiations with.

The second phase was negotiation. Shiron and T'Armal's talk took place during this time, which was centered around what each side _wanted_. Neither wanted the other to have authority over them, and originally, the salarians wanted a simple defense and trading pact. The asari wanted something long-term that they could leverage against other species and maintain firm influence over the galaxy.

This was ultimately how they sold the salarians on the idea of joint-galactic rule. They argued that if they became a dominant power _now_, it would ensure that any threat would be weaker and less informed in the future. United, they would be stronger than if they were apart. If their alliance could be established as _the_ power of the galaxy, they would have control over its members and what rights they were offered.

It is curious that it was the asari who posed this justification and not the salarians themselves. If it isn't apparent, the asari were leading the negotiations quite aggressively, and the salarians were finding themselves going along with it. Much of this we contribute to the asari knowing more about the salarians culturally and psychologically than the inverse, and leading the salarians to the outcome they wanted as a result.

Modern-day salarians would never have permitted this to go unchallenged, but in the beginning, they were persuaded into working with asari to establish what would be known as the 'Citadel Council.'

The final phase of these negotiations was the details. Both sides hashed out a series of proposals and ideas for how the Citadel Council would be organized, managed, and structured in the context of the current day and in the future. First drafts of the Council itself looked very different, from the asari and salarians maintaining a minimum number of ruling representatives, to both species being the _only_ ones on the Council permanently, to having multiple councils for military, economic, and diplomatic matters.

The salarians wanted more decentralization, the asari wanted more centralization. In the end, there was something of a compromise where the military and the Council itself were highly structured and central, while a number of subcommittees and other decision-making bodies act more in isolation and autonomy than most realize. These are still in effect today.

Three months later, the negotiations concluded. Together, the respective leadership of both species made the formal announcement of the Citadel Council to the many worlds of their species, and promised an age of prosperity and peace unlike any that had been experienced before. Without hyperbole, this was perhaps the most significant development in the current Reaper Cycle (previously designated as a 'Galactic Civilization Cycle'), as if the Citadel Council had _not_ been formed, things would be very different indeed.

Of course, this was almost immediately thrown into question mere months later.

**THE NEAR-COLLAPSE**: It is no secret that despite the lauded trust between the two species, both continued to harbor suspicions about the other. Both drew up contingency plans, several of which involved the genocide of the opposing species. We know that the former League of One, as well as the Ever Alert, had – multiple times – attempted to convince the SIX to perform pre-emptive strikes on the asari.

Their evidence was admittedly compelling, as the asari had prepared for their own contingencies which involved more conventional warfare against the salarians. This, by itself, wasn't significant, but what _was_ significant was that they learned the asari had somehow penetrated their networks to a dangerous degree and knew their colonies, location of Sur'Kesh, and the perimeter of the Reach Research Compound.

None of this is public knowledge, and while we were unable to acquire confirmation, it is very likely that whatever tools the asari used to perform that hack came from the Temple of Athame and are likely – and more importantly – still in use today. Please make an operational note of that. It is unknown if the League learned the full details, but they considered that an act of war, and with the hesitant leadership of the SIX, took matters into their own hands.

A failed false flag attempt caused the League plot to implode, and as close as the species got to war, both were more furious at the attempted manipulation. This, of course, resulted in the salarians ruthlessly hunting down the League and proving their commitment to the Citadel Council and their alliance with the asari.

Ironically, this had the exact opposite effect the League had probably hoped for. If nothing had happened, it is unlikely the two species would be as close of allies as they are, and if it had succeeded, both would have destroyed themselves. Instead, both became the undisputed galactic power and while the salarians and asari are slow to trust, this event brought them close together.

Both sides later took precautions to ensure that they would not be threatened by disgruntled or treasonous actors, and emerged as a united power, and turned themselves out to the galaxy they intended to control.

**IMPACT OF COUNCIL FORMATION ON ASARI AND SALARIANS**: The formation of the Citadel Council inevitably had a major impact on both the Asari Republic and Salarian Union, in a way which has not been replicated – including the Council expanding to include species such as the turians. As a result of the growing alliance, both the Thirty and the SIX quietly ratified several research, defense, and intelligence pacts that are still in effect today.

Again, it is not to say that there is unconditional trust between the two species, but that the relationship between them is old and deep, and has resulted in the asari and salarians being united in almost every instance and decision. More relevant is that this has given both Council species a distinct advantage that ensured their dominance in galactic matters on the Council, even when the turians were welcomed.

Specifics of these agreements include a secretive Prothean artifact sharing program conducted within the Reach Research Compound that produces equipment and technology exclusive to certain asari and salarian unregistered or black ops programs and units. Intelligence sharing agreements allow the STG to pass along information if it is deemed to be important or critical to the Thirty (with appropriate redactions to protect salarian sources and methods). The STG has been somewhat stingy on this one, as they have only informed the asari intermittently as it related to undiscovered species.

Finally, the defense agreement states that in the event of a conflict affecting one or more parties, both species will support each other unconditionally, even if it is against another Council species. While this agreement _is_ still in effect, it is unknown if either side would follow through. Regardless, in the context of their history, it would not be surprising, and this level of species cooperation has not been replicated, and can be correlated to the political, military, and economic dominance of both species.

* * *

**THE COUNCIL EXPANDS**

* * *

**POLITICAL DICTATIONS OF THE COUNCIL**: The Citadel was to be the political, economic, and social hub of the galaxy. To that end, both species worked to ensure that when the next species was discovered, they would be quickly and easily brought into the fold – or face significant opposition and risk isolation from the galactic community.

This included a number of initiatives drafted and ratified by the Council such as declaring mass relays and whatever they led to as untouchable outside of specialized teams. All Prothean and precursor technology could only be investigated and researched with Citadel approval. Treaties and regulations would ensure that any military would be less powerful than asari or salarian while both species would have near-free rein.

First-contact teams of asari trained in melds were put together and outfitted with teams of linguists and technicians to quickly and effectively communicate with new species, while salarian spies scoured the galaxy for new species to observe and record and eventually wait for them to join the galactic community.

Every single law, regulation, and directive was to ultimately preserve the grip the species held over the rest of the galaxy. The joint Citadel Fleet and military alone was formidable, and this was not considering each of the forces of the Republic and Union. When the _Destiny Ascension_ was brought online, both salarians and asari were confident that defeat was more than unlikely – it would be impossible.

The Citadel Council projects a decent show of pretending to be a generous and reasonable political body, and, in fact, play the part very well. But under the surface, their motivations were very clear. Subtle, but very clear when one understands the minds which drove them.

**WARNING OF THE HANAR ASCENDENCY**: As it turned out, the first contact the Citadel received was from the Hanar Ascendency. The asari and salarians initiated their protocols, eager and confident in their ability to bring this unassuming species into the fold. Their enthusiasm faded when the hanar in question addressed them.

It was a warning to leave Citadel Station, as it was a holy place to the hanar and their presence defiled it. A single recording exists, and it is rather amusing to see the hanar speak so seriously when there are asari in the background not even bothering to hide their disdain for the alien. As you can imagine, the Council said 'no' and sent the hanar away, though not before establishing the most tepid of formal contacts, including a means of transmitting messages and maintaining a limited business and bartering relationship with the hanar (an only moderately successful STG program to send bugged or hijacked devices into Ascendency Space) which eventually morphed into a dedicated credit account when the volus established a standardized economic currency.

They obviously did not consider the hanar a threat, but from what correspondences we were able to recover, they were less amused by the little speech and more befuddled why it was even made in the first place. The hanar had not given any reason for _why_ it was a 'holy place' outside a few references to the 'Enkindlers,' who were presumed to be their deities.

It took a short time, but they made the connection between the Citadel, Enkindlers, and Protheans. For them, the mystery of the hanar was growing clearer, in addition to the limited reconnaissance the STG had been performing near hanar territory. The Citadel did not take the threat itself seriously, but they definitely suspected the hanar had access to something they shouldn't have.

This would lay the groundwork for the Refusal later on.

**DISCOVERY OF THE ELCOR**: What is generally considered the first _true_ success of the Citadel Council is the discovery of the elcor. Both species were delighted, for there could not have been a more perfect subordinate species that could have appeared. Pacifists, limited territory, limited military, and physically immobile, the elcor were welcomed into the Citadel and have been a minor fixture of the establishment since that point.

The elcor effectively signed the political and economic independence of their species away voluntarily in service to the Citadel, likely not even aware of what they were allowing. Elcor are not political masterminds, and either didn't know or didn't care how this would benefit the Council. They unfortunately made the mistake of thinking the Council was on their side.

As a result, the elcor from that point on have been heavily tied to the Citadel economically, depend on them militarily, and are hesitant to put any pressure on the Council politically. Elcor are, and were, passive, and that is exactly how the Citadel wanted it.

* * *

**THE REFUSAL**

* * *

**PRELUDE TO WAR**: After the hanar had rebuffed and warned them so openly, and when the Council had come to a reasonable conclusion that the contentious aliens likely had access to Prothean sites, they were determined to investigate them. Various clues and coordinates identified sites within the territory of the hanar, along with information from the hanar ship that had visited previously and directly pinpointed at least the beginning of their territory. Comm buoys established by the hanar for communication between the Ascendency and the Citadel, as well as their own worlds, revealed many notable hanar worlds after the STG briefly managed to hack one (information the Council would find very useful in planning later offensives against the hanar). With all of this, the Citadel Council sent an envoy stating their intent to investigate them.

The hanar flatly refused any investigation or research group, stating that they were not part of the Citadel and therefore were not bound to their rules. The Ascendency also threw in a number of oddly snide insults and insinuations towards the asari directed at Athame which made the Thirty _furious_ – and very concerned privately.

There is the question of _why_ the asari were on the forefront of this war against the hanar, and why they've been staunch supporters of maximum pressure against the species since that point. Considering their preference for diplomacy and soft power, this is at odds with what is typically expected of their species.

There are very, very few public records on the Refusal and most of the galaxy forgot this _particular_ war even happened (it is _not_ to be confused with both Refusal Wars, which are not the same thing). Normally, this lack of information would be due to the Citadel wanting to cover it up, but the truth is that while that _is_ a motivation to keep this event quiet, no one knows exactly _what_ happened during the war after a certain point.

We know the beginning and the end. But the specifics of the war itself – if such a generous term can be applied – are more clouded.

Officially, the first war against the hanar was due to them 'threatening the safety and prosperity of the citizens of Citadel Space,' and is, without a doubt, one of the weakest justifications for war in galactic history, but the asari were utterly furious and desiring revenge. The Thirty were taking what the hanar had said as a personal insult and to the galaxy, portrayed the hanar as rebellious heretics.

Privately, the Thirty intended the war to be a show of force to the hanar. The hanar had implied they'd known some truth about Athame, and more to the point, found Athame amusing and pitiful – something the asari were greatly annoyed by. The Refusal was personal for the asari in a way that it was not for the salarians.

This is not to say the salarians did not support putting the Ascendency in their place. Their interest was more on learning the secrets of the hanar than any personal vendetta, as Hanar Space had been somehow impossible to breach. They did, however, take careful note about how the Thirty responded to certain insults directed against Athame.

This information was not lost on them.

The Thirty made a grand show of the preparations leading up to war. Diplomatic and business relations between the hanar and Citadel were suspended. Legions of War priestesses and Paladins rallied the asari in the thousands, effectively declaring a crusade against the godless heretics who slandered their goddess. _Every_ single ranking individual within the Church of Athame, including the Solar and Lunar Priestesses of the time, participated in the lead up to war.

The so-called 'Fleet of Athame' was a shining legion of asari-based ships with expert salarian engineering that dwarfed any other the galaxy had ever seen. It instilled a fierce pride in the asari and when it was officially recognized as the joint Citadel Fleet, with salarians integrated into its ranks, members of both species truly believed that defeat was impossible.

The salarians didn't care much for the name of the fleet, but they were sufficiently pleased with the power and technology it brought to bear, much of it the result of the aforementioned research pacts between the two species. STG agents and salarian military forces were outfitted and hardened with the latest weapons and armor straight from the Reach Compound. The Compound had run dozens of scenarios and each one showed a decisive Citadel victory.

According to the records, the chance of defeat was approximately three percent.

With such high odds, the fleet (minus the _Destiny Ascension_ which remained with a small complement to defend the station) departed to Relay 018 which connected directly to Hanar Space to the adoring cheers and voices of asari and salarians throughout the galaxy, watching on screens or personally on the Citadel. The Council stood proudly as their fleet left, eagerly awaiting news of a swift victory.

One by one, the fleet went through the relay, and the Refusal began in earnest.

**THE RELAY 018 ATTACK**: The Fleet of Athame was composed of new heavy-cruisers, frigates, scouts, and drone swarm fighters. The number is approximately four thousand and two in total. An incredible size for the time, and it should have been enough to obliterate any enemy it had come across. And it would have, if the hanar were anything close to normal.

The fleet emerged from Relay 018, as well as several other points of entry into Hanar Space – seven in total – but the primary fleet went through 018.

Black boxes recovered share nothing but the time they exited the relay, and when the ship was rendered destroyed.

Thirty seconds.

One-fourth of the fleet was destroyed in under a minute.

The Primus Choir Fleet of the hanar had been waiting for them, and at every other point of entry into hanar territory. There were only limited collections of videos that remain, which show hanar prism lances annihilating entire portions of the fleet in seconds, hanar ships flying near asari command ships and internal footage shows drell teleporting inside and subsequently slaughtering the crew.

A grainy and out-of-focus camera captured the battle between an unknown robed drell soldier (which will appear later in more detail) that fought the Solarch and killed her with seemingly little effort. Most are far less clear, simply showing explosions, destruction, and chaos. It was nothing short of a massacre which simply should not have been possible.

Out of the four thousand vessels of the fleet, ten managed to escape alive and their descriptions and accounts are sadly incoherent. All they fixated on was the fleets being destroyed all around them, panic which choked them, and utter fear that they were going to die. They described the channels as being filled with screams and explosions.

Unfortunately, there wasn't any useful information gained from these interviews, like the weapons used against them or the enemy ship design. Regardless, it stunned a previously confident Council who sat back in fear, and talks about a surrender swirled within the Citadel population as they waited for the inevitable counterattack.

**AFTERMATH**: The Citadel did not dare send anyone back to hanar territory and just waited.

And waited.

Eventually a single hanar ship landed on the Citadel and a lone hanar floated out. He simply warned them not to intrude on their territory again without permission, as next time they would be 'chastised harshly.' The hanar immediately departed and was never seen again.

The consequences of the conflict were significant. Thousands of asari and salarians were dead in a 'war' which had lasted only a few hours, and after being so confident of victory. The whiplash was especially difficult for the asari who heard the deaths of loved ones mere hours after bidding them farewell in what _should_ have been an easy war.

This caused a shift in how the Citadel would conduct themselves in the future. They had thought that war would be the means by which they could preserve their control, but they had just been taught a valuable lesson in relying on war as the first solution. Right now, if the Citadel had been invaded, even a small army would have won – despite retaining the _Destiny Ascension_.

This is not to say the Citadel would disregard war – history shows this was not the case – but it was no longer the first or easiest solution for the Council.

The salarians were hurt by the war, but it was the asari who had borne the brunt of the losses. There were twice as many asari on the fleets, and it was the Republic who had built the fleets in their shipyards. It would take several decades for the asari to properly recover, and this was with salarian assistance.

Interestingly, this was ultimately what reduced the Church of Athame into a shadow of its former self. We know the Church retains _extreme_ importance to the Thirty, even today, but it cannot be overstated just how _dedicated_ the Church had been to destroying the hanar in the Refusal. Nearly every War priestess had joined the battle, and only young initiates were left to fill roles meant for matriarchs.

Faith in Athame as a religion was also shaken, and it is not a surprise many asari sought alternatives after Athame had failed so spectacularly – and why this was permitted by the Thirty. It is unlikely that the downfall of Athame was due to a natural increase in secularism. Such needs a catalyst to happen so abruptly, and the Refusal was that catalyst.

If they had succeeded, the Church would likely be thriving today. As it stands, perhaps this was the outcome the Thirty ultimately wanted, as that means there is less scrutiny on the Church as an organization.

* * *

**THE TERMINUS INCIDENT**

* * *

**BRIEF BACKGROUND**: Following the utter failure of the Refusal, the clout the Citadel possessed was greatly weakened and there were those in Citadel Space who had been both critical of their own species' government as well as the Council itself. Disaffected clanless and those of lesser Clans were the largest group, and just so happened to have been the majority of those asari who perished in the conflict.

One of the survivors of the Refusal was an asari by the name of Terena Viron, a woman of a minor Clan and matron who was an ardent believer in both Athame and the Thirty. The Refusal changed her completely, and while initially she underwent a period of recovery, in time, she grew disillusioned with both entities she had once ardently believed in.

Taking advantage of the Thirty's lack of interest in the clanless and their immediate focus being on maintaining their control over the Citadel, she formed a series of networks and followers in a region of space that had been primarily settled by asari. As the Citadel was rebuilding their armies and fleets, as well as attempting to restore morale, Terena made a broadcast to the Citadel that is still played by many factions of the Terminus today.

**DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE**: The news that a cluster of asari worlds had broken away from Citadel Space and declared their independence came as a shock to the Council, who had not yet finished cataloguing their losses, nor determined a plan to start rebuilding Citadel Space properly. When the Council convened an emergency session to view her message, there were many who feared it was the beginning of the end.

In her message, Terena announced the names of the worlds who were abandoning the Citadel and the asari, in addition to renouncing her Clan and forming a new one. Thousands of clanless had been adopted into the 'Terminus Clan,' one which Terena claimed to have named after a clanless soldier who had perished in the Refusal.

The Terminus Systems, as they declared, would be a place where asari were not ruled by an aloof and dismissive Thirty, but by the common asari, where all would have a say, regardless of where they were born or who they were born to. She actively encouraged all clanless to leave Asari Space and join them, pointing to the Council as an example of their failure to lead, negotiate, and protect the asari people.

Highly idealistic, but many who are not of the Thirty are, and it is very possible that Terena Terminus intended to follow through on her promises. Had she been allowed to, the Terminus Systems could have been a very different place.

**CITADEL RESPONSE**: The Thirty effectively went into panic mode, and the Council itself issued a strong condemnation of the 'illegal seizure of territory belonging to a sovereign Citadel species,' but practically, there was little that could be done. Handled poorly, it would just bring more public support to the Terminus Systems, and the Citadel had no fleet, and an unwilling army to go after them.

The Terminus Systems did not pose a threat; Terena had stated that neither she nor her people intended to go to war against the Council, but were determined to provide an alternative for the people. The Thirty first tried offering incentives and gaslighting clanless into staying in their homes, though as more began leaving, martial law was brought down upon several planets.

As it turned out, Terena's message appealed beyond Asari Space. A number of small pirate groups approached Terena and offered to support her in return for several concessions. Very aware that if the Council wanted to, they _could_ fight her, and even a weak Citadel would win against a defenseless Terminus, she agreed.

The SIX were also blindsided when a few nearby salarian colonies reached out to also join the Terminus, and salarians disaffected by the Union were also departing in dangerous numbers. The Union did not bother placating their people, and instead heavily controlled information on the Terminus such as blocking repeats of Terena's speech and monitoring signals which contained phrases and keywords relating to the Terminus.

The Council correctly saw that if something wasn't done, it was entirely possible that the Terminus could grow into a rival power they could not effectively control or handle. As such, they took matters into their own hands.

**COLLAPSE AND LEGACY**: The SIX ordered the STG Master to put together a team of the best STG operatives within the Union. This group was brought before the Council and given a single command: "Remove Terena Terminus by any means necessary and ensure that the Terminus Systems do not pose a future threat to the Citadel Council."

This was the first mission of the Council Special Tasks Group.

The intermixing of salarian and asari in the Terminus proved to be an unexpected boon to the operatives, as they saw a very simple way they could accomplish both objectives at once. Terena had no defense against the STG, and when a salarian sniper assassinated her one night, and evidence pointed to one of the outcast salarian families, there was justifiable outrage.

The blamed salarians denied it of course, but when several dozen salarians were found days later slaughtered by furious asari colonists, they were suddenly more interested in self-preservation. Pirate leaders were poisoned, and contradictory evidence pointed to any number of the half-dozen pirate gangs which had joined the Terminus Systems.

None of the previous allies trusted each other anymore, and whenever progress was potentially being made, something happened that caused trust to be lost. Eventually, due to the actions of the CSTG, the once-united Terminus Systems had degenerated into a hundred conflicts throughout the region.

Their job complete, the CSTG retreated and returned to report their success to the Council. The Terminus was never able to regain that brief unity, and has been dominated by a number of competing factions, pirate gangs, and would-be governments. Something of note is that the Terminus Clan still exists, and continues to be a major player in the modern Terminus Systems.

Despite the region lacking a unified structure, what has been defined as the 'Terminus Systems' has continued to expand and while the Council has mulled the idea of regaining that territory, it was ultimately deemed too costly and the focus has been ensuring that the conflict in the region continues on.

* * *

**APPEARANCE OF THE SHADOW BROKER**

* * *

In the decades after the Refusal, the Citadel was gradually focused on rebuilding their military and pride, and during this period there were rumors of a new organization which had appeared seemingly out of nowhere. It offered information for a price, and nothing more. It could be information which could start wars or so minute as to be useless to most people.

The individual who managed this organization was referred to as the 'Shadow Broker.'

I suspect anyone who reads this is aware of the origins of the Broker Network, and I will not go to unnecessary lengths repeating it so much as addressing the Citadel response. Initially, there was a massive push to find and destroy the Shadow Broker. This abruptly stopped when scandals emerged on a number of prominent figures, the Salarian Councilor at the time committed suicide, and highly compromising information concerning the Temple of Athame was sent to the Thirty which convinced them to cease all operations against the Broker Network.

Later, the Citadel concluded that they had been looking at the Shadow Broker through one very specific lens – as a threat. The other way of seeing the Broker was instead as a resource. Any truly critical information could be claimed through the Broker's own rules, and instead, it could additionally serve as an intelligence organization for hire.

This Citadel proposal was met with criticism, but the fact was the Shadow Broker seemed to be everywhere and know everything, with their only concrete interest being self-preservation and otherwise remaining neutral. It was argued that if the Shadow Broker had been around during the Refusal, there would have been information on what awaited the fleet and the war could have gone differently, or a diplomatic solution could have been achieved.

The Council assumed that the Broker Network had information on the hanar, though this was a false assumption that all of them probably suspected, but to outright _confirm_ it would mean that one had tried to solicit information from the Broker, which was and continues to technically be a crime (exceptions were later written for Citadel Councilors, SPECTREs, and individuals possessing special waivers).

From that point onward, the Shadow Broker has enjoyed the role of not only primary information broker of the Citadel, but the galaxy at large.

* * *

**THE RACHNI WARS**

* * *

**ENCOUNTER WITH THE RACHNI**: A number of short centuries later, when the Citadel had properly rebuilt and was once more focused on expansion and prosperity, there was contact with a new form of life. It first began when a number of scout ships went missing, and were initially believed to be pirate attacks or freak accidents, but there was always a specific location the spacecraft disappeared, and the Citadel eventually sent a small armed escort to determine what was going on.

What they found was an utterly alien species, even by their standards. The rachni 'outpost' awaiting them fortunately only had a token defense and were readily killed. Initially, the Citadel was even unsure if the rachni were fully sapient, as their insectoid appearance and incoherent screeching didn't indicate such. But they soon found technology specifically designed for rachni physiology and confirmed that it was a sapient species.

Greatly concerned, as the memories of the Refusal were in the minds of many asari, the Citadel formally put together a diplomatic response to prevent another war. They were not even trying to bring the rachni into the Citadel, they were just interested in preventing a war, though the fact that they had been able to defeat the defenses meant that they were unlikely to be facing a species on the same technological level as the hanar.

The diplomatic ship was sent into identified rachni territory with a small escort with the intent of making peace with the species. The Citadel lost contact several hours after it entered their territory, and a full day later the first attacks against Citadel Space had begun.

**BEGINNING OF THE CONFLICT**: The Citadel acted quickly, and their fleets and armies were put on full readiness alerts as the first reports of the invasion came in. Engagements were initially promising, and several victories by the Citadel showed them that they had the capability to defeat the rachni, although as the war gradually progressed, they realized they were facing a massive problem.

Specifically, that the rachni could reproduce _extremely_ fast, and their own birthrates could not keep up. Rachni were effectively terraforming planets to serve as nests, meaning if the rachni became entrenched on a planet, it was impossible to dislodge them without rendering the planet uninhabitable.

To make matters worse, these attacks against colonies generated millions of refugees. At first, no one questioned how these refugees were able to escape such overwhelming numbers when the planet defenses hadn't been nearly enough to stop rachni invaders. The families and relatives, as well as the governments, were just glad they returned safely.

As you can imagine, the STG and a number of asari governmental bodies, including Citadel officials, wanted direct and firsthand accounts of the rachni, from numbers to tactics to descriptions. At these interviews across Citadel Space, very high-profile individuals from politicians to military leaders were brought in, and that was when the 'refugees' attacked.

The attacks caught the Citadel completely off-guard, and many military leaders and intelligence officials were killed by these unexpected attacks, not to mention the countless civilians who saw refugees appear to go berserk and start killing everyone around them. No one knew what was going on at first, and only after extensive research and experimentation did they learn that the rachni had telepathic capabilities.

The Shadow Broker assisted the Citadel during the war as well, from providing critical insight into the rachni, identifying compromised refugees, and giving reports from rachni-controlled planets. The hanar also surprisingly provided the Citadel with a number of critical locations the rachni controlled, which was viewed with some suspicion, but when it panned out, some wondered if a new relationship with the hanar was possible. A question that would not be answered until much later.

The Citadel adopted a necessary policy against refugees after this point, and stated that all refugees were to be quarantined before being allowed back into society – and this also applied to unaccounted soldiers who later appeared after being declared MIA.

It was not going to be enough, and the Citadel knew they would be overrun if nothing was done. Extreme action, including fusion weapons, was authorized, even if it would leave trails of dead planets in its wake. A number of viral rachni-specific diseases were researched at the Reach Compound and considered for deployment, but it was ultimately the salarians who proposed a solution which would save the Citadel.

**THE KROGAN UPLIFT**: The salarians had identified a particular species a short time ago which they had been monitoring ever since. They were underdeveloped, had experienced several nuclear wars, and were one of the most durable species which had been observed with a very high birthrate. They were not especially smart, or so the salarians believed, but that was not necessarily important.

They argued that this was the perfect species to defeat the rachni. Krogan could endure conditions Citadel soldiers simply couldn't, they could match the reproduction rates of the rachni, and were excellent and vicious soldiers if nothing else. The salarians were confident of being able to uplift the krogan and use them to defend the Citadel.

While uplifting species in this manner _was_ technically illegal, the Council felt they didn't have a choice. The salarians were directed to begin the process, and as they predicted, the krogan were more than willing to fight in a war that – they were told – would have ultimately found their planet, making it appear that the Citadel had 'saved' them (it is unlikely the rachni would have landed on Tuchanka by accident if the salarians hadn't meddled, but a necessary lie when the stakes were this high).

It took a number of months before the krogan were deployed in substantial numbers, and as promised, they were indeed capable of meeting the rachni on their own ground and destroying them. Millions of krogan died in the Rachni Wars, but each death appeared to only make them angrier, and as a result, as the Citadel reclaimed world after world, the rachni were (presumably) hunted to extinction.

**AFTERMATH**: The conflict had devastated Citadel Space, and there would be another extensive period of redevelopment before they were at full strength again, but they had emerged victorious, largely due to the krogan. In thanks, the krogan were given large swaths of territory and became a fixture of the Citadel, as the elcor were.

The Citadel did not expect the krogan to be particularly difficult, or were at least confident in their ability to keep them placated. They believed that allowing the krogan to settle on a number of planets unchecked would be enough for them, though a number of individuals who protested the measure pointed out that this was doomed to backfire if a more substantive plan wasn't developed.

In the end, one never was, and years later, the Citadel would pay for their lack of foresight.

* * *

**THE KROGAN REBELLIONS**

* * *

**UNREST AND KROGAN EXPANSION**: It only took several decades for the Citadel to realize they had made a mistake. The krogan clans were expanding rapidly across both Citadel Space and the Terminus Systems, and salarian models predicted that they would soon outnumber all Citadel species combined, and this was cause for great concern by the Council.

The krogan had not grown more peaceful, and had thus far kept their violent activity between themselves and the lawless Terminus, but there were indications and hints that the krogan might eventually decide that there was little point being subservient to the Citadel when they could rule themselves – and krogan were always up for a good fight.

With a few exceptions, such as the Ganar Clan managed by Okeer, the krogan did not mesh well with Citadel species at all. They were dismissive, rude, and violent towards aliens, and often believed they were inherently owed respect due to their role in the Rachni Wars. Relations between the krogan and Citadel gradually deteriorated, but the Citadel was handicapped in their response, because too many solutions were infeasible.

The unchecked birthrate was the largest concern, but mandating birth control of some kind would guarantee war. Trying to direct them to settle in more dangerous places in hopes it would curb their numbers was pointless and would grant the krogan more territory. Directing them towards the hanar was also impossible, as the few krogan clans which _did_ try to settle in Hanar Space were expelled or eradicated.

More and more it looked like there was a showdown approaching that the Citadel did not want, though with limited options, all they could do was sit and wait for it to come, and prepare to make the war as quick and painless as possible.

**DECLARATION OF REBELLION**: The first declaration of war was when Okeer separated his clan from the Krogan Empire and promptly informed the Council of the planned declaration of rebellion from the current Krogan Emperor. Only a few critical hours were all it took for the Citadel to prepare for the worst. Krogan on asari, salarian, and elcor worlds, as well as the Citadel, were detained and questioned.

Most krogan had little idea of what was coming, but several admitted to awaiting a signal to act. In the evening, the Krogan Emperor gave a public broadcast declaring the krogan independent of the Citadel, and that they would claim the territory that was 'rightfully theirs,' and purported that the Citadel was planning to sterilize their females because they feared their growing influence.

Dismissed at the time as a fringe extranet conspiracy theory, it turned out that – as has been pointed out – this was not entirely far-fetched. Somehow, the Krogan Emperor had gotten into contact with the Shadow Broker and bought the information of preliminary contingency plans the Citadel had drafted. Obviously incomplete, and the krogan have a shaky idea of the difference between a 'contingency plan' and 'confirmed action.'

Regardless, the war had officially begun and the reason the Citadel classifies it as a _rebellion_ and not a _civil war_ was because of how the krogan fought. They were _not_ a conventional military. Krogan are excellent warriors, but they are poor strategic planners and only moderately skilled tacticians. They rush into war with battle cries, knowing their armor and biology can help them endure the worst.

The krogan are, and have always been, best as a directed weapon. The Citadel used them this way during the Rachni Wars, and left to their own devices, krogan strategy largely consisted of 'identify target, attack target, find next target.' This is not to say the krogan are mindless brutes, but their strategy _throughout the conflict_ was exceedingly simple.

Part of this was due to arrogance, as the salarians couldn't stand against them in open combat, and while the asari could hold their own, they were fewer in number and could not be replaced easily. Elcor were extremely dangerous, but were so few as to be a non-factor. Krogan knew very well that their opponents were _dangerous_, but also knew they could be _beaten_ in this direct way.

Fighting a war against the krogan was an exercise in frustration for the Citadel. The krogan had an abysmal space program and barely a fleet to speak of – one which usually was destroyed without significant issue. It was not comparable to rachni equivalents, but the krogan didn't need to win space battles, they just needed to reach the planet and from there the tides would soon turn against the Citadel defenders.

Krogan did not operate like most terrorist organizations or guerilla outfits. They are not subtle or sneaky. Within the first weeks, the STG had identified the Emperor's battle plan and knew exactly which planets would be attacked and when. Plans which were followed to the letter, but at each one, the krogan didn't seem dissuaded at all. Just over half of the locations repelled the krogan attack, and the survivors moved to less-defended targets without even regrouping.

In the span of several hours, the krogan had gone from completely predictable to unpredictable. The Citadel underestimated what the krogan would do when confronted with a battle they couldn't win. The answer was to simply find a less-defended target, and that depended _entirely_ on the whims of the clan in question.

Having intelligence on the krogan was far less useful because it could change, and when the krogan realized what the Citadel was doing, the Emperor reportedly laughed and wrote up close to a hundred lists of targets and dispersed them to the clans saying: "Pick one."

Prediction became even less reliable, as the clans never usually decided on a target until they were on their way. Sometimes they'd say they'd attack one, and attack something else. Sometimes multiple clans attacked one target. Sometimes no attack came at all. It was stressful, incoherent, and frustrating for the Citadel to defend against.

The krogan were not _efficient_, and they had no intelligence equivalent to speak of, but they were continuing to _expand_, and the Citadel was no longer convinced they would be able to weather the war without taking drastic action. They authorized the Reach Research Compound to develop the Genophage, and prepared to withstand heavy losses buying time before it was ready.

But it was ultimately the discovery of the turians, and by extension, the volus, who allowed the krogan to ultimately be put down.

**DISCOVERY OF THE TURIANS AND VOLUS**: When asari explorers discovered the turians, they immediately knew they could be key to ending the rebellions. The Citadel was quick to act, and within days of discovery, sent their best diplomats to the Hierarchy, in addition to the Council of Matriarchs, the Circle of Dalatrasses, and both Citadel Councilors of the time.

All with one goal – to convince the turians to join in the war effort.

The Citadel had to make promises and offer incentives to even get the Hierarchy interested. The turians knew they held an advantage in negotiations, and the Citadel was very careful to tailor their requests to exploit turian psychology. Even still, what ultimately sealed the alliance was offering the turians a place on the Citadel Council.

A risk to share power on this scale, but considering the alternative, the asari and salarians believed it was for the greater good.

With the agreement struck, the turians began deploying in the millions to fight the krogan on hundreds of worlds. The krogan obviously met this new challenge with glee, even more so when they realized that the turians were capable of putting up a far stronger fight than the Citadel species had before them. More clans joined the Emperor who heralded the coming of the turians as the final barrier between them and victory.

The turians became a fixture of Citadel Space, as each planet, colony, and city had turian protectors for when the inevitable krogan attack began. Contrary to popular belief, the primary occupation of the turians was not invading and taking back krogan planets (this came later), but maintaining control over the ones the Citadel currently had. They were able to successfully stop a majority of planets being lost to the krogan, though suffered substantial losses during this time.

However, without a push, the war would effectively be a stalemate. The turians had numbers, but they would not last forever. Finally, the Genophage was developed with the help of Ganar Okeer and his clan, and deployed throughout Citadel Space, and then Krogan Space. STG teams infected planets with the plague and now knew it was only a matter of time before the krogan advantage was lost.

All the turians had to do was hold the line until that point.

Krogan attacks soon became less frequent as they realized that something was wrong, and that was when the Citadel counterattack began. Worlds which had been held for so long by the krogan were invaded by a vicious Citadel army and this time, the krogan couldn't just throw themselves against the attackers, as they could not replace their numbers if they failed.

One by one the krogan worlds fell, and ultimately the Krogan Emperor was slain in battle, and the Krogan Rebellions came to an end.

**AFTERMATH**: The Citadel allowed the turians to effectively dictate what would happen to the krogan in the aftermath, and they effectively ensured that the krogan would be incapable of holding significant political or military power again under Citadel law. The vast majority of these restrictions are still in place today.

More practically, the turians were fully integrated into the Citadel Council, and the other Council species promptly took advantage of this by beginning economic investment and intelligence operations in their territory. The turians also helped significantly reform and modernize the Citadel armies and fleet, and are currently the largest contributors – both for military and law enforcement purposes.

The volus had also been integrated into the Citadel, though as a lesser member. They had an ambassador, and quickly developed something of an internal alliance with the elcor, but they did not receive significant recognition from the Citadel. The only time they have been significantly recognized was that they helped revolutionize and firmly establish a galactic economy that was stable and self-sustaining.

Despite personal praise and thanks from the Council, the volus were not elevated beyond their ambassadorial role, something which they view with resentment.

**ARRIVAL OF THE BATARIANS**: It's difficult to quantify when the first 'official' contact between the Citadel and batarians took place, as the history between the two entities is shaky and muddled. The batarians were first discovered when they performed raids and pirate attacks – interestingly, the batarians were instrumental in pioneering a number of modern pirating techniques.

The Citadel tended to ignore them in the beginning, as they were more concerned with recovering from the Rebellions. Formal communications with the Emperor would not happen for a while longer – and only after the batarians became more aggressive in their approach, forcing _some_ kind of communication to occur.

When it did, it was fairly curt and formal. The batarians were permitted an embassy, but it was fraught with controversy from other Citadel species, and throughout most of the time it was held, was either on the verge of being revoked or the batarians threatening to leave on their own. Neither the Citadel, nor the batarians, considered the other a reliable counterpart and both sides likely knew that it was only a matter of time until they split.

Most would probably say it was a miracle separation didn't happen until centuries later.

**ARRIVAL OF THE QUARIANS**: Quarian ships made contact with turian forces in a few decades after the Rebellions. After the initial shock of alien life (and the controversy that came with it for their species), the quarians sent ambassadors and the Admiralty to meet with the Citadel Council to join what they saw as the center of galactic activity.

The Citadel was very pleased they had reached out, and worked with the species to fully integrate them into the organization, though during the process noted that there were going to be potential clash points, specifically around the research and utilization of artificial intelligence. Later on, foreign intelligence would become another point of contention between the Citadel and quarians.

However, the quarians became valued members of the galactic community, with them fulfilling a number of technical roles in law enforcement and military which greatly augmented the Citadel war machine. Their arrival was fortuitous for the Citadel, as in the centuries after the Rebellions, with the soldiers and fleets battle-hardened, they believed they were a truly unstoppable galactic power.

It took years more, but soon they turned their sights back to the singular defiant species that had handed them their only defeat – the Hanar Ascendency.

* * *

**THE FIRST REFUSAL WAR**

* * *

**DIPLOMATIC OUTREACH**: Unlike the first time, the Citadel did not want to go to war. Despite their confidence in their own forces, they were of the mind that a diplomatic solution was far more preferable to any kind of conflict. After the Krogan Rebellions, there was another surge in prioritization of acquiring precursor artifacts (primarily Prothean), and more and more evidence was pointing to the hanar being in possession of sites and relics that could change the galaxy.

The STG had managed to discreetly find several routes into Hanar Space and had taken images of some of the Prothean sites on outlying hanar worlds which were _far_ more developed and intact than almost any that were in Citadel Space. The STG presented these before the Council and impressed upon them how the hanar were almost certainly in possession of critical advanced technology and the need for the Citadel to acquire it.

The Council agreed, and spent several months determining the best way to convince the hanar to let them enter short of threatening military force. The hanar – as far as the Citadel knew (and the STG had set up sensors around their territory to observe them) – had not expanded their territory, and were assumed to be _exactly_ as strong as they had been previously.

In contrast, the Citadel was far more developed. Yet there were a few asari who remembered the Refusal, and they advised _extreme_ caution.

The Citadel made a number of attempts to convince the hanar to work with them. First, they reopened some limited trade with the hanar, which was reciprocated, and made sure to give them preferential treatment, as well as sending some minor Prothean artifacts they'd found no more use for. They sent an official invitation for the High Chorus to visit the Citadel, along with even proposed exploration and military exercises (all of which were ignored or outright denied).

But their primary attempt to win over the hanar was when the Citadel put together a revised agreement which was effectively an exemption to the current requirements for Prothean research. The first major concession was that they would not search any Prothean ruins or sites in their home system. Hard as it was to allow that, it was advised that even the few sites observed would propel developments by a significant amount.

Second was that it would not be exclusively Citadel-based teams, but mixed ones which would conduct the research. There would be teams of asari, salarians, turians, quarians, and hanar which could exist and work together without issue. Furthermore, the Citadel would generously compensate the hanar for any research conducted or artifacts taken or borrowed.

As a final incentive, all research would be transparent and shared with the hanar, which would be applied retroactively. The Citadel determined that any advancements they could derive had already likely been discovered by the hanar and to offer this was a minimal risk. All in all, the Citadel felt that this was a very fair agreement that respected the hanar's sovereignty and would allow them to further develop their species.

When one of the hanar priesthood was sent, it was seen as a very positive sign, as to their knowledge, one this highly ranked had never visited before. To their dismay, the hanar instead stated very directly that their sites were holy and would not be opened up to alien looters. They further insulted each species specifically by insulting Athame, mocking the salarians for being unable to penetrate their territory, and taunting the turians for being useful tools of the latter two species.

This did not go over well with the Council.

Feeling righteously spurned by what they considered their generous offer, the Council had the hanar priest arrested and ordered the ship seized. The ship exploded, killing a number of Citadel personnel and several dozen bystanders, and the priest committed suicide while in custody. After these events the Council was of one mind about what to do next.

They would bring the hanar to heel, and this time, they would win.

**PREPARATIONS AND PROPAGANDA FOR WAR**: Of course, the Citadel couldn't just go to war for the reason of 'the hanar did not comply with our demands.' That would have invited domestic trouble and been damaging to the peaceful and diplomatic image the Council prefers to show to the galaxy. Much like the Refusal, the period leading up to the First Refusal War is very interesting in retrospect.

The explosion served as an important catalyst for the Citadel justification for war. First, it was released that it was being treated as a terrorist act, and investigation was pending. Over the course of the coming days, details were released – publicly and through controlled leaks – that it was from the Hanar Ascendency and the Citadel was attempting to determine if it had been a state action or not.

The Council made a grand show of trying to appear 'diplomatic' with the hanar, first sending a message requesting an explanation for the explosion, which the hanar ignored. The media jumped on the bandwagon of portraying the hanar as disrespectful, haughty, and arrogant to their audience, and slowly but surely public anger was being turned towards the Ascendency, especially after the names of the deceased were released along with Citadel-wide memorial and solidarity ceremonies, as well as the Council quietly parading relatives of the deceased to a salivating media who drew out condemnations and pleas for the hanar to make this right.

The Council then decided that it was time to release their ultimate trump card which the STG had carefully documented: the drell. Until this point, the drell were a rare sight, if seen at all. No one knew much about them, and the STG were ecstatic when they learned of the agreement between the drell and hanar which effectively placed the drell in servitude.

Coordinating with the Shadow Broker, information was selectively released. Some information was declared publicly, some acquired by media organizations, and each piece was more damning than the last, from the text of the agreement the drell had signed, to interviews with drell, and footage of Rakhana showing the poisoned planet and devastation the species endured (painted as if the hanar were responsible).

It was quite a brilliant campaign, topped off when it was revealed that 'brave special forces teams helped rescue a dozen drell families from hanar oppression,' and a few of the drell interviewed described the conditions on their planet and what their species was required to do for the hanar. In truth, there was no operation into Hanar Space yet, and the drell were kidnapped and brainwashed by asari Discerning to repeat certain pieces of information.

But all of this worked, and public outrage had reached a point where demonstrations were taking place throughout Citadel Space, demanding action to free the drell from their hanar masters. With a 'heavy heart,' the Council reluctantly declared: "We can no longer deny the evidence we are confronted with every day. The actions of the Hanar Ascendency against the drell species is inexcusable and their refusal to engage with us diplomatically shows their indifference and apathy to their own actions. The Council will no longer stand idly by while a species is systematically exploited and enslaved. We will free the drell and show the hanar that there is no place in this galaxy for such contemptible actions."

And with that said, the Council held a public vote on declaring war against the Hanar Ascendency, which won unanimous approval and the full backing of the Asari Republic, Salarian Union, and Turian Hierarchy.

Much like the last time, the fleets and armies moved out to war days later, and the First Refusal War began in earnest.

**CONFLICT AND RESOLUTION**: To their credit, the conflict was not _as_ lopsided as the Refusal. It was ultimately a humiliating defeat for the Citadel Council, but this time they lost in weeks instead of hours. The first assaults were largely successful, and the outlying drell loyalist colonies were quickly subdued. The hanar and drell fleets they encountered were able to be defeated – not decisive victories, but victories nonetheless.

This gave the Citadel a significant confidence boost and morale was high as they began to penetrate deeper into hanar territory. The so-called 'Liberation of Rakhana' was seen as a sign that victory was assured, and the Citadel forces landed on the planet, expecting to be hailed as heroes for liberating the drell.

They did not receive a warm reception. From the moment they stepped onto the planet they experienced harassment and lone attacks from loyalist drell, and it was only through the valkhana – the drell not loyal to the hanar – that a tense peace was established. Eventually, Citadel forces pulled off the planet and provided the valkhana the means to help deprogram the population from what they believed was simply an instinctual response after a lifetime of slavery.

Interestingly, they never considered thinking about _why_ the drell would be loyal despite their so-called enslavement, but as the war was based on lies, it is entirely possible that the Citadel did _not_ want these questions asked, and so hoped no one would apply any critical thinking to the situation. Citadel forces continued onward, towards the first true hanar colony – Dithia.

The shining Citadel Fleet emerged and aimed at the meager hanar defenses. They greatly outnumbered the hanar defenses, and expected an easy victory. As they approached the frontlines, they hit micro-mines, and seconds later, large portions of the fleet were destroyed with propelled asteroids. With over half the fleet destroyed in a few seconds, the hanar defenses opened fire.

Prism lances shredded the Citadel spacecraft, and legions of drell were teleported onto Citadel ships, and while the Council had tried to account for this, their efforts proved ineffective as the drell began taking the ships over after slaughtering all of the crew. Soon, no one knew which ship was friendly and which was compromised, though the drell appeared to have some way of identifying themselves to their hanar commanders.

After the turian flagship was destroyed, a hasty retreat was ordered and only around an eighth of their force was able to evacuate, and largely thanks to the discipline of the turians. Unfortunately, that was all the further they would be able to penetrate in this war, as they realized the hanar had outmaneuvered them and had executed an attack of their own. They _did_ manage to find a few minor colonies on the outskirts, and these were only destroyed after long and grueling battles – and it was nothing compared to what the hanar inflicted against the Citadel.

Hanar ships materialized throughout Citadel Space, primarily on major colonies or production centers, and opened fire, damaging or destroying trillions of credits' worth of infrastructure and equipment, as well as killing millions. Drell assassins and saboteurs had been seeded throughout Citadel Space, and performed a variety of actions from eliminating military and political leaders, hacking critical systems, and destroying critical infrastructure.

Hanar ships appeared over Palaven and Sur'Kesh, targeting the shipyards and Reach Compound specifically, as well as destroying all of their defenses. The turians were utterly crippled, and the salarians lost research that had been developed over the course of years, not to mention some of the best and brightest of the galaxy.

Quarians found various members of the Admiralty bound in their ships, not killed, but tied up and gagged with ritual drell knives just out of reach. A number of volus systems crashed and were unrecoverable, and they later found a copious amount of copies of various hanar religious texts in the most secure of the vaults in the Archive of All Under Heaven.

Only two species were ignored – the elcor and the batarians.

The asari also believed they had also been spared. Most still believe this, but there exists a single image of a drell assassin walking into the Temple of Athame with a case at his side. No artifacts were taken, so it stands to reason that the drell in question did not take something _out_ of the Temple, but put something _in_.

There are only theories as to what that could be. It is unclear if the asari know about this to this day, as that particular file is one that is not for sale on the Network.

The Citadel itself was another target, though not by the fleet itself. Drell assassins had snuck aboard and similar to the Admiralty, placed ritual knives beside the beds of each Councilor to send a clear message that they were not out of the reach of the hanar. In addition, they raided the Citadel Vaults and acquired every single artifact that had been stored there.

It is entirely possible they also took copies of the digital information stored in the Vaults, but this has never been confirmed. In addition, all the major religious institutions found hanar texts left there the next day, sometimes with relics or associated texts missing. After these devastating attacks, the Citadel pulled back _all_ of their forces and rapidly tried to establish some kind of peace.

It was achieved in the space of a single week, and the hanar sent back all the prisoners they had acquired, with a request to open Citadel accounts with the Ascendency, and a very stern warning that if another war was conducted, the Citadel would suffer greatly.

It was unfortunately a warning that the Citadel would forget in the future.

* * *

**THE GETH REBELLION**

* * *

The Geth Rebellion was an event that the Council never really was able to properly respond to before it was over. Both the Council and the quarians had clashed more and more over the years over redbox technology and artificial intelligence, and the quarians were absolutely adamant that had they been able to conduct research on an appropriate scale, the outcome of the First Refusal War would have been much different.

The Council disagreed harshly, which is hard to dispute given how handily they were defeated, and were growing tired of the quarians ignoring regulations, not to mention their lethal rivalry with the salarians that tinged every talk conducted by the two parties. When the Council first heard word of the geth, they internally debated how to handle it, but before they could make a decision, millions of quarians arrived with the news that their homeworld was lost.

The quarians immediately demanded a compatible world, aid, and a promise to assist with the geth, as they expected the geth to pursue them into Citadel Space. The Citadel _did_ provide aid and assistance to the quarians, but the request for a planet and fighting the geth was out of the question. The Citadel was in absolutely no shape for another conflict, and the schism that had formed between the Council and quarians did not engender much goodwill.

Internally, the Council wanted to frame this as a lesson to other species who considered ignoring or subverting Citadel regulations – break these and you're on your own. The geth were declared an internal quarian matter, and due to their illegal AI research, the quarian embassy was removed and the quarians effectively expelled from Citadel Space.

Outside of what had already been provided, the Citadel would not assist them with anything else. They would not be given ships, soldiers, technology, or planets. If they wanted those, they had to figure it out themselves, as the Council wanted absolutely no part in quarian affairs any longer. They further codified this into law by making entry into the Perseus Veil a crime and further tightening the regulations concerning research into AI.

In hindsight, while certain actions were justifiable, the Council here acted more out of petty revenge than long-term thinking. The loss of the quarians would have ramifications in the future, and soured relations between the parties which have only recently begun to heal.

* * *

**THE YEARS OF LONG PEACE**

* * *

**AUTOPSY AND REBUILDING**: The Citadel Council was forced to take a very long and hard look at what they were doing right, what they were doing wrong, and how they could improve to prevent defeat on a similar scale to the First Refusal War. The hanar had proved to be the largest singular threat against them, and they _knew_ that one day there would come a point where there would be conflict again.

The turians, in particular, did careful studies about what worked, what didn't, and the specifics of the hanar militaries, as well as the drell. Salarians worked on determining how the drell assassins had managed to penetrate into the most secure sanctums of the Citadel. Asari turned the Temple of Athame into the most guarded place on Thessia, comparable to the Citadel Archives itself.

If conflict happened in the future, the Council was determined not to rush into it and only attack if they were certain of victory. The first initiatives were hardening all their critical locations. New procedures were put in place, more efficient methods were developed, and training was given a special emphasis to properly protect such institutions.

A significant amount of research and credits was poured into weapons development, and for the salarians, they were charged with developing similar Genophage-like measures against the hanar – something extremely difficult given the lack of access to hanar biological samples and data. In lieu of this, the salarians decided to apply the programs to drell who they identified as the 'hands' of the hanar.

In the meantime, the situation with the quarians caused several issues, and the expulsion of the quarians from the Citadel also meant that they lost thousands of quarian engineers and technicians – many of their smartest allies left with the Fleet, filled with resentment against the Citadel. This left a vacuum that was not easily filled, though the Citadel eventually was able to operate without quarian expertise.

As part of this initiative, the Council decided to create what is now one of the most famous programs in the galaxy – the SPECTREs.

**DEVELOPMENT OF THE SPECTRES**: It is not exactly a secret that the Citadel races – asari, salarians, and turians – are hypocrites when it comes to the law. The Citadel Council has, for most of its history, existed to serve them and maintain their power. This is not the public perception, of course, as the Council portrays itself as a neutral, diplomatic, and lawful body.

The Special Tactics and Reconnaissance Division flies in the face of this illusion.

The reason it was put together was simple. The truly illegal actions conducted by various species governments are, for the most part, managed by very few people. The rest may suspect, but they do not know, and they _certainly_ don't willingly participate. The Council (and by extension their respective governments) needed a means of performing actions which would be illegal, without suffering any of the consequences.

SPECTREs are the answer to this problem. They would be the best of the best, the most powerful biotics, the stealthiest of spies, and most heroic of soldiers. At least that was the role they would play. The creation of the SPECTREs was purely out of self-preservation for the Citadel and a realization that the laws they had so carefully created would be a hindrance in an emergency.

One of the arguments put forward was that 'if we had been able to remove the Krogan Emperor when he first started talking about rebellion, we wouldn't have had the Rebellions.' While the validity of this assumption is dubious, the point being made is clear: the Council wanted a quick and effective way to eliminate threats to the Citadel without any red tape.

Any terrorist threat, political dissident, or opposing force could be identified and mitigated within the span of hours – _long_ before they could pose a threat. The SPECTREs were intended to ensure the status quo was maintained. The military benefits were just a bonus.

It is telling that this was a private decision by the Council, and the general public did not find out until years later. Even when that happened, critique was fairly minimal and largely limited to conspiracy theorists and the odd principled individual. But most didn't care, and whether that can be chalked up to a lack of education, suppression, or apathy is up for debate.

**TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT**: This period saw a significant number of technological developments as the result of the initiatives by the Council. The quality of life across Citadel Space reliably grew and over time, the trauma of the wars was gradually fading. The volus were essential during this period in ensuring that the vast spending and investment by the Citadel didn't lead to a galactic recession, something which – while it didn't get the volus any more praise – increased the profile and value the species could provide tremendously.

Military developments were proceeding at regular intervals, and continuously updated and maintained. New ships were designed and produced, and eventually the Citadel Fleet was once more at its full strength and even higher. Much of the developments were inspired by hanar wrecks which led to the creation of artificial alloys and obscure scientific theories as scientists tried to determine how hanar tech _worked_. What's more is that further research provided answers to problems and questions that had arisen from adapting or reverse-engineering Prothean technology, specifically that pulled from the _Destiny Ascension_. With the pieces falling into place, progress had become rapid for the first time in decades.

The discovery of additional Prothean sites was also a significant boost, and the asari were on the forefront of many breakthroughs when it came to Prothean technology, much of which originated from Thessia itself – specifically, from the Temple of Athame, a fact that has been kept secret from the others of the Council.

**RISE OF ARIA T'LOAK AND THE OMEGA STANDOFF**: The final event of note in this era was the rise of the Pirate Queen herself, Aria T'Loak. As far as she relates to this document, the primary concern from the Citadel was that she would unite the Terminus Systems behind her and attack the asari – and by extension, the Council – in revenge for actions that led to her current position.

The greatest of these was the now-infamous 'Omega Standoff' which threatened to throw the Council into a war with the Terminus Systems regardless of the cost. Omega was a station that had been known for a significant amount of time, back to the founding of the Terminus Systems itself. Very little attention was paid to it until Aria inexplicably made it her base of operations.

Obviously, the Council wanted to know exactly why she'd done this, and commissioned the STG to investigate, along with sending a half-dozen SPECTREs to infiltrate the station. What they uncovered led to an emergency Council meeting and the SPECTREs almost sent to purge the station entirely.

First, there was the proximity of Omega to the Omega-4 Relay, which the Council did not like leaving under the watch of Aria, and the mystery surrounding the relay only intensified when scans and recovered notes from Aria showed that there were significant architectural similarities and parallels between Omega and Citadel Station itself.

Suddenly afraid that Aria was potentially in control of an unknown Prothean relic, the Council immediately demanded that research teams be allowed onto the station to investigate and recover any potential 'dangerous items.' Aria bluntly refused and warned against action against her. Both the salarians and turians had few intentions of listening to a pirate, and together they began mobilizing the Citadel Fleet to take the station by force.

There were discussions of terminating her with several SPECTREs, several of whom were already on the station and prepared to act. Mere hours away from the first planned operation (which Aria had responded to by preparing a defensive fleet of her own, which would not have succeeded, but would have extracted a heavy price from the Citadel), the asari called an emergency Council meeting stating that new evidence had been acquired.

They stated that Aria had sent over detailed schematics and reports that showed that while the structure itself bore similarities, there were no Prothean artifacts within at all. The turians were not convinced, but in a two-to-one vote, all action against Aria was tabled, not wanting to risk a war with the Terminus Systems over a defunct Prothean station.

At the time, questions like why Aria had specifically contacted the asari, or how this proof manifested out of nowhere, or why no official agreement between the Council and Aria was ever established were not officially asked. All of these unanswered questions made the turians forever resentful of Aria, and for a time, hurt relations between their Council counterparts. Even the salarians were not thrilled with the outcome, but they figured that if necessary, Aria could be dealt with in the future.

Of course, the truth is that Aria is effectively blackmailing the Thirty and has subtly referenced possessing knowledge that would destroy the asari, and specified as much in her _actual_ message to the Thirty. We know this is related to the Temple of Athame, and it explains why it is always the asari who have prevented any official Citadel action against her. But the asari only have one vote on the Council, and if any action was to be taken against Aria again, they would not be able to overrule the outcome.

But now, each of the Council members have their own reasons for letting Aria alone. For one, she is a somewhat stable force in the region and the Council prefers that to outright war. The STG operate out of Omega and have proxies that gather information from Aria, and likely wish to co-opt her network to spread their own influence and pursue their interests.

The turians would likely prefer Aria dead, but until she starts directly interfering, they are unlikely to push that hard. That she has also provided a measure of stability after the Batarian Hegemony's collapse (usually involving attacks on scattered Hegemon soldiers), has also made some turians look upon her with grudging respect. The greatest concern that Aria poses is her agents which have infiltrated Citadel Space and who have been detected by the various intelligence organizations operation on the Citadel, both joint and species-specific. There is an unspoken agreement between both the Citadel and Aria which comes down to: 'You leave us alone, we'll leave you alone,' which is usually (carefully) arbitrated by the 'Shifter.'

* * *

**THE SECOND KROGAN REBELLIONS**

* * *

**NOTATION ON MISNOMERS: **The 'Second Krogan Rebellions' is one of the most inaccurate names ever applied to a galactic event. The source for this label can be solely applied to a media who breathlessly documented the formation of the Blood Pack, and immediately assumed the krogan were preparing to go to war against the Citadel.

There was no evidence to back this up.

This entire event is better documented as 'The Terminus Civil War' or 'The Council Shadow Conflict' or something equally descriptive, if not eloquently worded. The only thing the Second Krogan Rebellions had in relation to the Krogan Rebellions were that krogan fought in them, and there were a few engagements with Citadel forces.

The Second Krogan Rebellions was not about rebellion, it was not even about revenge, it was about conquering the Terminus Systems under one of the most dangerous krogan to ever exist.

**RISE OF THE BLOOD PACK**: Ganar Wrang was one of the most infamous and reviled krogan – originally for betraying Okeer and his clan and joining the Krogan Rebellions where he slaughtered hundreds of asari, salarians, and turians. A large part of the more coherent and complex krogan strategy was attributed to him, and when the Krogan Emperor was killed, he was instrumental in reining the krogan in before they destroyed themselves in a genocidal war against the Citadel.

If that had been his only crime, it might have been forgiven. Unfortunately, he committed a far greater one that could not be overlooked. Violence against krogan females of _any_ kind is sufficient enough for exile. Wrang, in comparison, beat a female to death. Why he did it isn't clear, but it is likely because she was failing to produce a child.

He was unceremoniously exiled and struck out into the galaxy, ending up in the lawless Terminus where he stayed for several centuries in relative peace, taking work as a mercenary and plotting in the background. It soon became clear what he was doing, as large numbers of krogan suddenly left Tuchanka for the Terminus.

Wrang had quietly been in contact with a large number of surviving clans and their members for decades, and had determined a path for the krogan to rebuild, and it required territory not controlled by the Citadel. There were whispers of several clans plotting to attack the Council, furious at the discovery of a planet-shattering fusion bomb the Council had presumably planted as a contingency. The Council had disputed the allegation, of course, claiming it to be a defunct remnant, but few krogan believed them.

Wrang was smart enough to know that going to war with the Council again was doomed no matter the justification, and could see their species wiped out for good – and knew the clans were unlikely to be persuaded by calm and rational arguments, so he focused their anger on other targets. Fortunately, there were hundreds of settled worlds in the Terminus that were poorly defended, sparse, and more concerned with each other than an outside threat.

Wrang formed the Blood Pack, a violent mercenary gang that employed copious amounts of vorcha as a result of a breeding program Wrang had managed to acquire. No one paid attention at first, but Wrang intended for the Blood Pack to have appeal beyond krogan, and for several decades they grew to the largest mercenary company in the Terminus, with a reputation for violence and being incredibly effective in battle.

Of course, it was a means to an end. When Wrang judged his forces were sufficient, the Blood Pack launched their attack across the Terminus Systems.

**THE TERMINUS CIVIL WAR**: Blindsided, dozens of worlds fell, unable to stop the rampaging krogan with alien auxiliaries. Soft targets were prioritized, colony worlds unable or unwilling to defend themselves. Several worlds of the Terminus Clan asari were among the first to fall, something that terrified them.

Word soon reached the Citadel about the Blood Pack, along with pressure to consider intervening. The Council steadfastly refused, as even in the unlikely event that the Blood Pack carved out a majority of territory, they would pose no threat to the Citadel. The Blood Pack was poorly equipped, too few, and lacked infrastructure for a prolonged war with the Citadel. Against the Terminus, they could potentially succeed, but not beyond that.

In fact, the Council determined accurately that Wrang intended to unseat Aria as the de facto ruler of the Terminus, and there were discussions held about possibly providing covert support to the Blood Pack to get rid of her. These were tabled for a number of reasons, most important of which was that a dominant Blood Pack would not be the most stable, and of course, the Thirty did not want Aria to expose them in retaliation for any actions taken by the Council.

So, they elected to remain neutral, simply stating that they were 'monitoring the situation.'

In the meantime, the Blood Pack had defeated the Talons (leading to the old Terminus division moving to the Citadel) and Eclipse presence in the Terminus, and were moving closer and closer to Aria, though now were facing resistance from a number of warlords, the Terminus Clan, and Aria herself taking action. Of course, her efforts were undermined by a number of Terminus warlords using the chaos to attack their rivals before being conquered and purged by the Blood Pack.

Wrang in particular proved that his skills as a krogan Battlemaster had not waned, and personally led raid after raid, and with each victory, drew more and more krogan to see his vision fulfilled, despite condemnation by a majority of clans still on Tuchanka. It was to little avail, and whispers began circulating that once the Blood Pack had taken the Terminus, the Citadel was next.

Aria, a few rival warlords, and the Terminus Clan forged a defense agreement and pooled their forces, which was enough to stymie the unrelenting Blood Pack wave for a time, but she was growing more and more concerned that it might not be enough. Aria had resources, but she did not have advanced technology, the numbers, or the discipline of a Citadel army, and Wrang was openly bribing soldiers to defect, something that was being accepted more and more out of fear as the defeats for Aria piled up.

Wrang had also taken lessons from the Krogan Rebellions, and made a concerted effort to have a respectable navy. While a fraction of Aria's war fleet, his ships were oriented towards quick ground insertions, ship-to-ship boarding, and heavily armored to prioritize survivability over offense. All features which complemented the tactics of Blood Pack soldiers.

If it had not been for a few critical mistakes, it is not out of the question that Aria would have fallen, and Wrang would be the current ruler of Omega and the Terminus Systems at large.

**COUNCIL SKIRMISHES**: Several Blood Pack fleets located an asari world – and thinking they were still in the Terminus (allegedly) – pillaged and conquered it. One would think that the higher quality defenses and training might have given it away, but the Blood Pack fought aggressively and ultimately paid dearly to capture this world.

This naturally caused an uproar and Wrang immediately recalled his soldiers and ceded the world, sending a profound apology to the Council and executing everyone who had been involved in the attack. While it is possible Wrang might have ordered the attack to see how the Council would react, it is unlikely due to his following actions, and for once, the official account of 'rogue actors' is accurate.

The Council curtly accepted the apology, though such was extremely unpopular, especially with the asari who were tired of witnessing a massacre across the Terminus. Privately, the Council was certain a Wrang victory was not ideal, but were hesitant to invade – for the asari because Aria was fickle, the salarians wanted both sides to weaken each other before continuing, and the turians wanted to see Aria dead.

Unexpectedly, Aria reached out to the Council to find a solution. It is perhaps the only time the Pirate Queen did not threaten or demand. She simply laid out the consequences of a Wrang victory and offered some notable concessions (including direct trade, information on the hanar and batarians, and reducing hostile operations against the Council) in return for removing Wrang.

Four parties took part in these talks. Aria and her cohort, the Council, Okeer and the Ganar Clan, and, of course, the Shadow Broker.

It was agreed that a full invasion wasn't necessary, and would potentially provoke further conflict from actors who thought the Citadel was invading, and could turn Wrang to focus more on the Citadel directly.

Instead, there would be a select number of Citadel forces or citizens who would travel to the Terminus under the guise of 'freeing worlds from the Blood Pack,' and one by one reduce the territory before ceding the planets to the citizens. This would be led by none other than Uressa T'Shora of all people, who specifically volunteered for the mission.

The Broker Network provided intel and targets of note, which were followed up on by STG teams, and more importantly, SPECTREs.

This plan in place, the shadow war to deal with the 'Second Krogan Rebellions' had begun.

**PACIFICATION AND THE FALL OF GANAR WRANG**: Initially, there was hope that if Wrang was killed, the Blood Pack would fall apart. The issue was that Wrang was a Ganar, and among the most intelligent krogan, and was remarkably difficult to kill. Six SPECTREs tried to kill him, and two STG cells, all of which failed and two SPECTREs were killed by his hand. Luckily, he believed they were Aria's assassins, and sent them to her with a mocking letter.

In the meantime, Uressa had launched a public campaign which turned into a rallying cry to liberate their 'fellow asari' from the grip of the Blood Pack. I suspect the only reason the Thirty allowed such language to be applied to Terminus asari was because Uressa recruited thousands of clanless who all later died in battle.

Despite the perception of Uressa as a kind pacifist, the Second Krogan Rebellions show her to be one of the most lethal warriors to exist. Hitting the flank of the Blood Pack worlds, Wrang was first surprised, and even more so when it appeared to be nothing more than a crowdfunded, volunteer army backed by Talons and Eclipse mercenaries.

It didn't take him long to figure out the Council was likely behind it after this supposed volunteer army had unlimited funding. He dispatched his second-in-command, Warlord Vrug, to handle the Uressa incursion. More war priestesses had 'volunteered' for the fighting, and were enough to turn the tide against the Blood Pack.

Okeer himself personally assisted Aria in defending her territory, and was able to attract less suspicion due to his contacts, and with his assistance, was able to turn the slow loss of territory into a stalemate, and later, as assassinations and sabotage from STG and SPECTRE teams took their toll, victories.

It took a long time – years in fact – before the Blood Pack were a shadow of their former self and Wrang was in danger of losing the clans that had supported him. More and more krogan were quietly returning to Tuchanka, his most loyal subordinates were dead, and his resources and funding were at their breaking point.

The capture of Vrug by Uressa and her army, and subsequent execution forced his hand, and in a final desperate move he attacked Omega itself to kill Aria, and while he successfully landed, he faced a prepared Aria. After fighting his way to 'Afterlife,' he and Aria engaged in one of the most destructive battles that has ever been recorded (most copies of which are unfortunately destroyed, only scattered fragments remain – only the Broker Network has access to a largely intact copy from what I was able to learn).

Wrang was able to put up an impressive fight considering what it had taken to reach Afterlife, but even had he been fresh, it would have been difficult to defeat Aria. When all was concluded, Afterlife was nearly leveled, as were several surrounding blocks, Aria had lost an arm and several fingers on the opposite hand and an eye, while Wrang was found with his crest ripped off, his jaw broken and hanging from his throat, and bisected horizontally.

The legends that sprang up from this are fantastical, such as that Aria ripped him apart with her bare hands, or that she bisected him with a biotic throw. In all likelihood, these injuries were caused by explosions, heavy machinery, or improvised projectiles as evidence for all three was found at the scene of the battle.

Afterwards, Uressa was able to convince the rest of the Blood Pack to stand down without a fight, and was also the reason why additional sanctions and restrictions were not levied against the krogan due to the Tuchanka Clans not officially sanctioning Wrang's war. All ranking Blood Pack officers and figures of note were executed by Aria, and since that time, she has ruled as the undisputed leader of the Terminus Systems – and has not troubled the Council since that point.

* * *

**THE SECOND REFUSAL WAR**

* * *

**THE NINETY-FOUR EXILES**: There were a number of developments and events that led to the Second Refusal War even being _considered_. However, the story ultimately remains the same. The Council rebuilt, the lessons of the past gradually fade, though not forgotten completely, they grow arrogant, they look for reasons, they go to war, and they are defeated.

It's mildly amazing that not even the asari saw the pattern.

The first spark to what led to the conflict was when the ninety-four hanar exiles appeared on the Citadel without warning, and for the first time, the Council had a clear view into the hanar that they could have only dreamed of before. The hanar were more than willing to tell many things that were prized secrets for so long.

Some caution was exercised, obviously, as taking everything the exiles offered at face value was questionable, but much of what they were saying lined up with or confirmed suspicions held by many within the Citadel. The exiles were able to provide valuable insight into the hanar and drell minds, as well as their lifestyles, culture, and government that had long been mysteries.

Most importantly, they revealed details about what the hanar _had_.

The truth made the Council _furious_. They had believed that the hanar had access to a few intact Prothean sites and maybe some working computers. The exiles revealed that the hanar not only had access to working computers, but weapon and defense caches, working Prothean VIs, and no fewer than twenty intact beacons.

It made what the Council itself possessed look pathetic in comparison. So many things made sense now, and it was simply not something that could be overlooked. The Council quietly opened discussions for another invasion of Hanar Space. All agreed that diplomacy with the hanar was counterproductive. The exiles themselves were adamant that the High Chorus would not agree to any demands, and implored the Council to not interfere.

The Council was more wary of public sentiment being against the conflict, as using the drell as an excuse (again) could backfire. A reason needed to be given, one that would be legitimate enough to placate the public, but one that could also be manufactured relatively quickly. Ultimately, the Council determined that a war was more justifiable if it was the hanar that triggered it – not the other way around.

They just needed to be provoked.

**THE EVACUATION OF RAKHANA**: The salarians proposed first evacuating Rakhana, which would have the public guise of a 'humanitarian' mission to lift the drell out of the toxic wasteland, but could prove threatening for the hanar who might take action. The Council agreed that was an excellent attempt with few drawbacks and made a large show of announcing one of the largest outreach projects in Citadel history.

Thousands of drell were evacuated from the poisoned world and successfully integrated into the Citadel. In their rush to draw the hanar to attack, very few considered the very high possibility that the drell 'saved' were agents of the hanar who had just been given a free ride into Citadel Space. Drell were more common now and some had emigrated from Hanar Space of their own accord, but it was very few.

Still, the evacuation was successful and the hanar did not comment on the event, much to the surprise of the Council. It was not the exact outcome they wanted, but in return, they had a large number of grateful drell and the project had achieved universal praise and painted the Council in a very benevolent light.

The hanar were not taking the bait, so different tactics needed to be applied.

**THE CAPTURE OF THE VAOLIN PRIME**: The Council learned that the hanar had been conducting trade with Aria, which had been provided by the Pirate Queen herself, who continued to hold to her agreement forged in the Second Krogan Rebellions – even as she made it clear she would not cease trade with the Ascendency. Additional STG reports confirmed this, it explained a number of things since regaining control, such as how she was maintaining control, equipping her forces, and for the asari, how she was learning their secrets in such a relatively short timespan.

Ultimately unimportant, as the Council intended to use this assumption regardless. What Aria got out of it wasn't as important as the deal itself.

While it wasn't the most damning of smear campaigns, for a number of weeks, stories emerged of the Pirate Queen having close contact with the Ascendency, which never came from official sources, but through the media who could act with plausible deniability. There was a large showing made of how Aria dealt in slavery, drug trafficking, and arms proliferation – and how the hanar were supporting her operations.

The had the double effect of turning public opinion ever so slightly against the hanar _and_ Aria. Despite the Council covertly assisting Aria previously, none of it had been public or official, and most maintained the idea that she was a ruthless warlord, and shaping public opinion was trivial as a result. It wasn't enough for a war, however, not on its own. The true break came when asari scouts stumbled upon a derelict Prothean warship in the Terminus. They quickly took some notes and scans and saved the location, intending to return to it later.

It was designated as _Vaolin Prime_ – of equivalent size and a _far_ different model from the _Destiny Ascension_ – and the Council was relieved that they would _finally_ have a new piece of major Prothean technology that could eventually lead them to matching the hanar, as they had reached the end of what they could learn from their current artifacts and technology. Research teams arrived just in time to see hanar ships preparing to move it to their territory. The Citadel ships demanded they release the craft and the hanar said: "No."

This was what the Council used as the reason to go to war. It was fairly shallow and obvious to anyone looking even somewhat critically at it, and it was a decision likely made out of anger than a rational strategy. The Council was livid, and they had just seen their number one threat steal the one thing that could have provided them an edge.

Once more, the Citadel prepared for war.

**INVASION AND CONFLICT**: I will note that the Shadow Broker himself specifically advised the Council that another war was a bad idea and was a rare instance where the Network was ignored. The Council wanted blood, and would not be deterred.

There were two major objectives of the Second Refusal War the Council wanted to focus on. The first was dealing with the hanar fleets and defenses. That was the conventional aspect of the war. The new theatre was leveraging the SPECTREs and the various special forces units of the Citadel races and using them to decapitate the leadership of the hanar, specifically the High Chorus.

At this point, it should not be a surprise what happened.

The Citadel Fleets invaded and found themselves facing an enhanced hanar navy, heavily fortified planets, and the ugly truth that the hanar had been upgrading their own technology to levels the Council have not even known were possible. This included infowar systems which are suspected to be operated by Prothean VIs that took over fleet systems and subjected the crews to ugly deaths by airlock, decompression, and extreme temperatures.

The First Refusal War had the illusion of being a war. The hanar had apparently decided that was not something they wanted to deal with and didn't even provide the illusion that they were operating at the same level. This is not to say that the Citadel Fleets did not perform effectively in some cases, but in comparison, they were simply not good enough.

There were sixteen minor battles and four major battles that ultimately comprised the Citadel offensive, and while roughly three-quarters of the minor battles were victories, each major battle was an utter failure. Ground invasions were dealt with by drell armies and assassins, with war priestesses barely holding their own against drell biotics. Each space battle was a coin flip at best, and even as the Citadel Fleet continued pushing forward, each victory cost them dearly and they were concerned that even if they got close to Kahje, they wouldn't even have a fleet by that point.

With each major loss, this disparity grew.

The Battle of Jhalge was considered the worst defeat in the history of the Citadel, not in a numeric sense, but in terms of sheer cost. It didn't equal the Refusal, but back then, dreadnoughts didn't exist, and each of those was easily worth an entire portion of an older fleet. _Six_ dreadnoughts were lost in this battle, along with almost every other large ship which made it costlier than any battle from the Rachni Wars, Krogan Rebellions, or First Refusal War _combined_.

The objective to assassinate the High Chorus failed miserably, as they never made it to Kahje before being captured and executed, with the bodies eventually sent back to the Citadel after the conflict with a snide comment. No one knows how the assassins were stopped, either by drell, hanar, or some other defense, but what was of concern to the medical examiners was that some of the bodies didn't look like they had been wounded at all.

It appeared that they had just spontaneously died.

Of course, this was of minor concern as the Fleet suddenly got word of the hanar counterattack and immediately ceased all offensives in an attempt to protect Citadel Space. Ultimately to no avail, as this time the hanar intended to send a message to the Council that would be impossible to forget.

**PUNISHMENT**: The hanar were merciless in punishing the Citadel races for their attacks. In truth, it was generous compared to what the hanar could have done, but they did not seem intent on utterly destroying the species so much as making the consequences so severe it would dissuade them from ever trying it again.

The elcor were treated the most leniently, and the hanar restricted themselves to destroying their orbital defenses and leaving it at that. The quarians were ignored as they had not participated in the conflict. For some inexplicable reason, the batarians were also spared the hanar's wrath, despite a number of their species participating in the conflict.

The hanar had the drell raid the Archive of All Under Heaven, killing any volus who attempted to stop them, and they removed every single Prothean text and relic they had in their possession, before copying their digital archives prior to erasing it, ensuring millions of historical and research documents were lost. The volus markets were also manipulated and infected with a particularly insidious VI that took months to fully remove.

The turians were dealt with in a very direct manner, as hanar fleets blasted their way to Palaven and destroyed the entirety of the defenses, causing debris and destroyed ships to crash into the planet, causing thousands of deaths in collateral damage. Drell assassins executed the entirety of Hierarchy Command, though left the Palavanus alone for unexplained reasons.

The salarians expected a reprisal and the dalatrasses were moved to the most secure locations possible. There were two responses to the salarians. The hanar appeared to be unaware of where the safe houses were, so instead, they attacked the familial homes and breeding grounds of the SIX instead and destroyed irreplaceable ancestry charts and DNA records.

The salarians believe that to be the extent of the attack, but there was another that we learned of through a single eyewitness. A team of six drell entered the Reach Research Compound, though one was a type of drell that no one had ever seen before. It was slightly taller than the other drell – females included – and cloaked in an ornate robe. What distinguished it was it held a staff in its hand, one tipped with a jewel of some kind that was described as a mix between teal and deep blue.

We made two interesting connections here, the first, the similarity between this drell and the shaky image of the unknown drell who fought the Solarch back in the Refusal, and that this purported staff and the one the Batarian Emperor also uses have a few similarities.

Another suspicious connection between the two species.

The witness described everyone around the unknown drell appear to enter a trance or fall unconscious. Each of the drell carried a case of _something_, and they emerged nearly an hour later, suggesting that the drell had left something inside. None of the guards or personnel who were on duty during that time have any memory of the event.

Deeply suspicious.

The retribution against the asari was more blatant, though subtle. Initially, the asari believed they too had escaped retribution, though when they entered the Temple of Athame later, they found the corpses of priestesses and acolytes, including those of the Sun and Moon, slaughtered and arranged into various siari signs centered around negative emotions and feelings.

Most of the matriarchs of the Thirty were also assassinated in their beds, and only a few of the drell assassins were able to be fought off. The asari were badly hurt from the reprisal, and utterly terrified at seeing the violation of the Temple of Athame – which the drell this time _had_ removed a number of artifacts from, though presumably not the most critical ones.

The final assault on the Citadel was as swift and decisive as the others had been. Drell snuck aboard, though like the ones on Sur'Kesh, this group also had one of the unknown drell, and absolutely no one aside from a couple eyewitnesses the drell overlooked remembers him. There is no video of him, and none of those who directly encountered him believe it happened.

But this singular team of drell penetrated the most secure locations on the Citadel, executed the Councilors and most high-ranking officials, and blew up the Citadel Defense Tower and Council Chambers. How this was done without explosives is unknown. The hanar fleet appeared and demanded surrender, or they would destroy the Citadel.

Having no choice, they complied and the hanar sent down several teams which confiscated all Prothean artifacts the Council had on hand, and departed from Citadel Space and completely cut themselves off for decades, outside of occasional communications with the hanar community formed by the ninety-four exiles. No reparations were ordered or demands made. No peace treaty was signed. The hanar had unilaterally decided the war was over, and so it was.

Once more, the Council was left to pick up the pieces, and it appears that they might have learned their lesson, and they officially made it law that the Citadel Council and affiliate species can only declare war against the Hanar Ascendency in cases of self-defense. Every single suggestion of potential armed conflict against the hanar is tabled and whoever is stupid enough to ask that is usually investigated.

**BRIEF NOTATION ON HANAR ACTIONS**: Before continuing forward, I would like to highlight actions the hanar took throughout each of the conflicts, but primarily the two Refusal Wars. Specifically, their offensive actions which might have raised questions as to their conduct.

This is not a report on the hanar, but this is relevant as it relates to how they view and approach the Council.

Offensives by the hanar have only come in two forms – space and clandestine. They are utterly dominant in space warfare, but at the same time, there was not a single conventional ground invasion despite possessing sufficient drell numbers and ground forces of their own. Citadel forces encountered both when invading the few colonies they found. The hanar clearly possess these capabilities, but did not employ large-scale ground forces in any conflict.

There are two potential answers to this:

The first is that the hanar have legitimately not thought of utilizing their forces in this way. This is admittedly at odds with the knowledge that they _do_ have the available forces, but seem to refrain from using them in a large-scale way. Perhaps they consider it unnecessary, as at no point have they needed to resort to such tactics to elicit victory. While questionable, it is possible that it is not part of their offensive strategy.

The second, and more logical answer, is that the hanar intended to send a direct message to the Council. They already had shown that they could match and defeat Citadel forces in battle, and though assassinating their leaders, raiding their artifacts, and reaching _places they should not be_, they were effectively telling the Council that there was nowhere they could go that would be beyond their reach. Potentially, the hanar wanted to punish the ones directly responsible for the conflict.

It is unlikely this is out of some desire to avoid collateral damage, as the bombardments of planets caused untold civilian casualties, but in the end, it is not the soldiers or civilians who made the decision to go to war. Upon the risk of overthinking hanar motivations for their actions, there is a potentially simpler explanation.

The hanar had identified the leadership as the problem, and they eliminated the problem at the source.

Ultimately, we have only speculation as to _why_ the hanar acted as they did, as the Ascendency has not been forthcoming on their methodology. Based on what has been uncovered in this report, it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that the Broker Network perform a thorough review and compilation on the Hanar Ascendency as much of our information – which is primarily sourced from the Citadel hanar and drell – is potentially misinformation or out-of-date.

We know that the hanar have no issue with seeding the Citadel with loyalists, and considering their level of technology, it is not out of the question Citadel systems have been compromised. While the Ascendency has not displayed any hostile intent towards the Broker Network, it is clear that we ignore the Ascendency at our own risk and CANNOT RELY on current intel as accurate without sufficient review of our collection and methods.

* * *

**DISCOVERY OF THE SYSTEMS ALLIANCE**

* * *

**AFTERMATH OF THE SECOND REFUSAL WAR**: As it had before, the Citadel Council inevitably recovered from the losses and there was no talk of war or any kind of conflict for decades. The people were weary of fighting and the Council was interested in preserving the peace for as long as possible. They once more created initiatives directed towards expansion and exploration.

There was also a focus on rebuilding their collection of Prothean artifacts, and they became rabid hunters to this end, sparing no expense in sending SPECTREs after looters and private organizations suspected of holding Prothean artifacts. Even lawless criminals like Aria have quietly instructed their people to learn what they can from any artifacts discovered, but later tip the Council off about a new location.

Hanar and Drell Space was quarantined on equivalent levels to the Perseus Veil, and even going near the space without prior approval is a violation of Citadel law. It is a fairly recent event by Citadel standards, even if krogan and asari are the only ones who have individuals who remember it. However, it is one of the less-talked-about historical events, and when people describe the most impactful event of the past several centuries, most will say the Geth Rebellion, and not the Second Refusal War despite it directly impacting the Citadel and causing a humiliating defeat.

I suppose no one wants to be reminded of their failure, but the invisibility of the Second Refusal War is rather odd, and not even something the Council is doing intentionally. Ultimately, it just seems no one wants to talk about it.

There was a new event that would attract far more attention, and subsequently influence galactic history for years to come.

**THE FIRST CONTACT WAR**: To put it very bluntly, what the turians did to humans during the Relay 314 Incident – better known as the 'First Contact War' among the humans – was _technically_ legal, but if they were not of the Council itself, they would have very likely been expelled for their conduct towards the species.

The turians were paranoid and humiliated after the Second Refusal War, feeling that it followed them like a stain that could never be removed. It is not out of the question that they saw the humans legitimately as a threat, but far more likely that they saw this as an opportunity to reclaim their battle honor… by conquering a massively underdeveloped species that had a fraction of territory.

Their logic was not necessarily sound.

The Relay 314 Incident was extremely brutal towards the humans and cost both species thousands of lives – it was also completely unsanctioned by the Citadel Council, who wasn't even aware the turians were conducting an offensive until STG teams brought it before the Council, who subsequently demanded answers and sent Uressa T'Shora (at her own _very_ vocal insistence) along with a fraction of the Citadel Fleet (primarily composed of asari ships) to force the turians to stand down.

The turians did so, but unwillingly, and relations between the turians and both humans and asari has been strained since that point, though both have gradually begun to lessen over time, and the human resistance _did_ ultimately impress the Hierarchy to an extent, even if they would not have been able to ultimately save Earth were it not for asari intervention.

**CEASEFIRE AND PEACE**: The more permanent peace agreement was largely negotiated by asari representatives who have from that point taken the humans 'under their wing,' so to speak. This is obviously intended to exploit and utilize them – something the humans are somewhat aware of, but are having difficulty stopping.

The Citadel saw that humans would be an ideal species for the galactic community for a variety of reasons, and were soon fully integrated into the Citadel to become an ambassadorial race of the Council, and have begun expanding ever since, intent on spreading themselves throughout the galaxy with the ultimate aim of one day sitting on the Council itself.

The humans were ambitious, and unlike some of the Citadel races, turned their ambition into tangible action.

**HUMAN EXPANSION AND THE HUMAN-BATARIAN WAR**: Human expansion was a major issue soon after they soon joined the Citadel, and there was a significant amount of unclaimed and contested territory in the galaxy. The three Council races didn't feel it was appropriate to officially continue risking their citizens unnecessarily, but were more than happy to have humanity do the hard work of settling these regions.

The batarians were trying to do the same thing, and unlike humanity, were not receiving support from the Council. When this was pointed out, the Council gave a distinct non-answer even though it was clear that the Council saw the humans as worth supporting more than the batarians, which was a surprise to no one but the batarians.

The batarians demanded that the human expansion be curtailed or reduced, and when the Council refused to act, the batarians abruptly withdrew from the Citadel and began attacking human settlements and colonies, kicking off the short-lived Human-Batarian War which only consisted of a few major and decisive battles.

Mindoir, Horizon, and Torfan were centerpieces of the conflict, and eventually, at each one, the batarians were thoroughly defeated, breaking their will to continue fighting and ensuring that public support squarely fell upon the humans who eventually drove the batarians back to their own borders. It would not be the last time there was human-batarian conflict, but with the exception of the attack on Neo Berlin, there has not been a concerted effort by the batarian government to engage in large-scale conflict with the Systems Alliance.

* * *

**THE BENEZIA INCIDENT**

* * *

In very recent times, the Benezia Incident was one of the most important events in the history of the Council as it nearly led to the capture of the Citadel and presumably an invasion by the Reapers. It also led to significant reforms of the Council and a reexamining of a number of bodies and methods due to what was learned.

The assault on Eden Prime by the geth immediately attracted Council interest for a number of reasons, because it was at a site with a working Prothean beacon, and because geth action violated the message the machines had broadcasted after the Geth Rebellion that said organics would be left alone if they did not invade the Perseus Veil.

The SPECTRE Saren was implicated in the attack, and it was only through an investigation and a number of helpful events that he was confirmed to be connected to the attack. This was a shock to the Council, which faced a situation that was unprecedented. It was not the first time that SPECTREs had been accused of performing controversial actions – but never on this scale, and never directly against the interests of the Council.

In response, the Council elevated the human Sara Shepard to the position of SPECTRE, a position which had previously only been reserved for Council races. They charged her with using whatever methods and means possible for hunting down the rogue agent. Had the Council been fully aware of the scope of what Saren had planned or the resources he had access to, it is very likely Shepard would _not_ have been the only SPECTRE sent after him.

Matriarch Benezia was also connected to Saren, and Shepard led a series of operations against Saren and Benezia's holdings and interests, culminating in the Battle of Noveria where Saren was killed in action, and the Battle of Virmire where the krogan-rachni hybrids they had been breeding as an army were destroyed.

At this stage, only Benezia was still alive, though she was still supported by the Reaper identified as 'Nazara,' as well as numerous geth. Shepard and her crew performed an unsanctioned operation to Ilos which they believed was critical to the plans of Benezia while the Council advised caution. They nonetheless prepared their fleets to defend the Citadel.

Sure enough, the geth fleet led by Nazara arrived and engaged in the largest battle that has taken place around the Citadel in recorded history. The losses the Citadel suffered, including almost losing the _Destiny Ascension_, were enormous, and were it not for the arrival of the quarian and human fleets, the Citadel would have been lost.

On the Citadel itself, where Benezia had also invaded, it is also thanks to the actions of Shepard and Matriarch Aethyta – along with Benezia herself resisting the indoctrination – that solidified the outcome as a victory for the Citadel.

The Benezia Incident served as a catalyst for most, if not all, of the modern initiatives in place currently, and led to more structural and logistical changes than any other conflict – including the Refusal Wars or Krogan Rebellions. The SPECTRE program was tweaked to prevent another Saren from happening, the Reapers became the most immediate threat to the Citadel, and the number of Council races was expanded.

The full ramifications of these changes have yet to be fully felt.

* * *

**AFTERMATH AND CURRENT STATE OF THE CITADEL COUNCIL**

* * *

The most significant development was the elevation of the humans and quarians to members of the Council. This was officially in recognition of the sacrifices both species had made in defense of the Citadel, but in all likelihood, was the Council deciding that for whatever was coming, having the species with the largest fleet and technical genius as well as the human militaries involved in all major plans was ideal.

Potentially a move of self-preservation, much like the elevation of the turians.

This has received a mixed response from other Citadel species, namely the volus who continue to be upset that they are continually overlooked in favor of a species which has only been part of the galactic community a handful of decades, and another species which was expelled from the Citadel. These complaints have largely gone ignored or downplayed.

The humans have already largely been integrated into the modern Citadel Council, and the focus is on reintegrating the quarians back into the fold. The Council is working on finding suitable planets for them and quarians are already beginning to join the ranks of military and researchers as work begins on rebuilding the fleet and researching the wreckage of Nazara.

The current iteration of the SPECTREs will be detailed in the appropriate section, but the Council has quietly expanded the program to potentially other species besides Council races, and tightened regulations on SPECTREs in terms of what they need to disclose to the Council, though their operating methods have not been curtailed. SPECTREs are still above the law, but the Council wants to have a clear idea of their networks, resources, and funds.

This has not gone over well with a number of SPECTREs and has the potential to expose operatives who extensively rely on the Broker Network, depending on how seriously the Council intends to enforce these new rules.

Military operations following the Benezia Incident have focused on removing surviving geth fleets operating beyond the Perseus Veil, operations which have been largely successful, though have claimed their share of lives, unfortunately including Sara Shepard. These operations are looking to be winding down as geth activity has been decreasing and is expected to cease entirely in the near future.

The Benezia Incident was a significant event for the Council, but ultimately, was one of the least impactful conflicts, only taking place at a handful of locations and despite the heavy losses, only a portion of Citadel military strength was lost as a result. The significance of the Benezia Incident are the changes wrought and the implications for the future.

As a final note, actors previously hostile or neutral to the Citadel have begun new initiatives to at least signal potential cooperation. The Batarian Emperor has begun consolidating his power and disavowed the individuals who attacked Neo Berlin, and talks between the two entities are starting again, though it is highly unlikely that the batarians will be allowed back into the Citadel, or that the batarians even desire that.

Aria has also begun – very quietly – reaching out to the Council, and coordinating with them on several initiatives, particularly anti-geth operations and stepping up anti-Reaper and anti-indoctrination operations. In particular, Aria exchanged a significant amount of geth hardware for indoctrination detection technology which she has been installing throughout Omega. The Thirty have privately objected, but their arguments were largely symbolic as both parties realize that there is more to be gained in – if not being friends – understanding that there are larger threats to be concerned about.

The hanar have also signaled a willingness to open a line of communication. This primarily takes place through the hanar exiles, but there have now been several instances where the hanar – without any prompting – have sent small pieces of Prothean technology or information without asking anything in return. More drell have been emigrating to Citadel Space, and it is unclear what the hanar are aiming to achieve, but these actions have been welcomed by the Citadel, and there appears to be hope that this situation is one that even the hanar recognize the seriousness of.

These developments are still being observed, and there should be no assumption that the current projected outcomes will ultimately be what happens.

* * *

**Xabiar's Note:**_ A lot to go through here, but putting together a coherent timeline was a very enjoyable task, and special thanks to the Editing Gang who helped shape it into something a lot more well-rounded, accurate, and balanced. Also, thanks to **LogicalPremise** who gave me a lot more freedom than I expected._


	3. The Council and the Embassies

**LP's Note:**_ Merry Christmas everyone._

_This chapter is written by _**_Xabiar _**_with assistance from the Editing Gang._

_Enjoy! **Xab's** notes – when he has any – will appear at the _**_bottom_**_ of the chapter. There were none this time because with all the stuff going on we didn't have a full review session._

_If he adds any later, I will put them here._

* * *

**THE CITADEL COUNCIL**

* * *

**SECTION 2: THE CITADEL COUNCIL AND EMBASSIES**

* * *

**OVERVIEW**

The heart of the power of the Citadel Council is the body of the same name. A small group of appointed individuals who have the power to affect Citadel Space, and by extension, the galaxy at large. There are few organizations outside of the Broker Network which can effect change on such a wide scale.

This power is not used lightly, however. There are many detractors of the Citadel Council, particularly among the more nationalistic of species (the humans in particular), as well as species such as the volus and previously the batarians who have complained about not having proper representation within the Council. A common argument is that the Council is only beneficial for the Council species, and used to oppress those below them.

This is, at best, partially true.

The Council is not dominated by shortsighted fools. While the original conception of the Citadel Council was a means to exercise control over rivals, it has somewhat evolved into a galactic body that possesses favorites, though at the same time does not inherently oppress those below them. The elevations of species to the rank of Council members is proof of this, and even if it was made out of pragmatism, it is nonetheless an acknowledgement of the need for increasing cooperation in a galaxy facing new and unknown threats.

The structure and protocol of the Council itself is also more complicated than the majority of the general population is aware. There exist several checks and balances which, while not necessarily curbing the ultimate power the Council has, limits the potential damage they can unleash. There have been exactly _zero_ decisions the Council has made or permitted that were not extensively vetted and approved by multiple authoritative bodies.

Despite the tabloids, memes, and dismissal of detractors, the Citadel Council takes their job seriously, even if they are shaped by the interests, biases, and motivations of themselves and respective governments. This section of the report will detail the internal structure of how the Citadel Council operates, the current diplomatic relations with internal and external governments, and contain dossiers on all five of the current Councilors.

Following this will be detailed information on the racial embassies, all of which are functioning at the time of this report.

* * *

**THE COUNCIL : STRUCTURE**

**INITIAL APPOINTMENTS**: Appointment to the position of Citadel Councilor has two parts. The first is that the current members of the Council vote on approving the appointment of whoever has been proposed. This is effectively a formality, and while there will occasionally be a symbolic deviant, there have been effectively no instances of the Council rejecting an applicant.

The Councilor who is being replaced will formally put forward the name of their replacement, which will then be voted on (the Councilor being replaced _does_ vote, though it is _always_ in favor of the replacement). If this is a new species which is being elevated, the vote will still take place, though it will always be unanimous. It remains to be seen if Councilors will be more forthcoming about rejecting potential Councilors due to the increased size of the Council. This will be something to watch.

Councilors are truly chosen by their respective species' governments. The methods range from straightforward, to somewhat more complex, though in context, is not necessarily surprising. Nonetheless, they are the kingmakers of the Council, and who they choose _does_ set the tone for what path their species wish to pursue. These will be briefly covered now:

_The ASARI REPUBLIC:_ Every asari chosen to be a Councilor is directly approved by the Council of Matriarchs. There is a short and undetermined period where each Clan of the Thirty has the opportunity to put forward or sponsor a candidate. There are three rounds of voting, with increasing thresholds to reach to become competitive. This will continue until the three rounds are concluded or a candidate achieves a supermajority (defined as two-thirds of the votes).

In truth, selection for the asari is less about merit and experience as it is about competition and status. The Clans within the House of Storm and the Greater Houses tend to not particularly care about the appointment, and rarely introduce or sponsor candidates. They appear to defer to the smaller Guardian Houses, who see it as a means of currying favor with each other and the aforementioned Clans.

This of course does not mean these Clans do not play kingmaker. Very often, the final candidates will come down to a contest of influence between one of the smaller Guardian Houses, or a candidate covertly put forward by the Discerning. That is what the choice ultimately comes down to, which only the House of Storms is aware of, though other Clans likely suspect.

The decision tends to reflect how the asari view the current situation and consider it beneficial or not. The more secure, content, and safe they appear, they will endorse one of the candidates from the Clans, effectively guaranteeing their elevation. In times of war, strife, or hardship, they will endorse the Discerning candidate.

Both kinds of candidates are pawns of the Thirty, of course, but those of the Discerning are more dangerous due to their heightened skill and intelligence – though Matriarch Yulsanis holds _immense_ sway over them, something the House of Storms is continuously wary of. Although if there is anyone dedicated to asari interests, it would be the aforementioned leader of the Discerning.

_The SALARIAN UNION:_ The selection of the Salarian Councilor is similar in some ways to that of the Thirty, with the slight exception of it being far more contentious, dangerous, and uncertain. It is a true power struggle between the SIX, and the 'chosen' Councilor being a representative of whichever family of the SIX currently possesses the most influence.

While technically the SIX have a 'vote,' the outcome has been determined long beforehand, with the families using their own networks, agents, and resources to uplift, protect, and showcase their chosen candidates while also sabotaging, smearing, and assassinating their opposition. Prospective candidates often make diplomatic tours to establish relationships in the event they are chosen, while simultaneously fending off ambushes, managing botnets to deploy social media countermeasures from smear campaigns, and also memorize copious amounts of law, culture, and information necessary to do their jobs.

There is a _reason_ every Salarian Councilor is 'former STG' – if they were anything else, it would be impossible for them to survive the nomination process. It goes beyond targeting candidates, as this is seen as an excellent opportunity to cripple other aspects of their rivals – or in some cases, it is used to unofficially declare support or allies.

The selection process for the Salarian Councilor is one of the clearest insights one can get into the current state of the SIX and Salarian Union as a whole. In their own unique way, they believe it both produces the best candidate, and subsequently, the best family of the SIX to guide salarian policy for the wider galaxy for the foreseeable future.

Oddly enough, while the family in question responsible for the Councilor _does_ exercise some control, the Councilor has notable freedom in conduct, as the SIX appear to take far less of an interest once the event is over, leaving many important decisions to the discretion of the Councilor – provided they, at minimum, keep the SIX informed, of course.

_The TURIAN HIERARCHY: _Compared to the asari and salarians, the method by which the turian Councilor is selected is _extremely_ straightforward. One would typically think the Councilor would be chosen by the Primacy Circle or the High Primarch, or even that a candidate is automatically considered if they reach a certain rank.

This is correct in the most technical of terms. The Primacy Circle _does_ determine who will be the Councilor, but they do not make the actual selection. The most the Primacy Circle does is put together a list of candidates, usually high-ranking turians throughout the meritocracy, and send it directly to the Palavanus.

How the Palavanus determine the Councilor is not known. How they inform the Primacy Circle also differs. The vast majority of the time they merely send an emissary informing them of the 'recommendation,' though there have been a _very_ few instances where a Council of Woe has been summoned.

Almost no one knows about these specific meetings of the Council of Woe. Some are common knowledge, but the Council of Woe has been summoned more than most think – and sometimes, the selection of a Councilor warrants this step. What we do know, in keeping in the oddly morbid theme of this council, is that the tenure of whomever they select is one fraught with violence, conflict, and instability.

The Councilor chosen can be literally anyone, but are typically derived from Primarchs, generals, and retired Praetorian Reach. When a Council of Woe has chosen, those who take the position are usually Praetors, of the Blackwatch, or the Deathwatch. Each and every one is completely loyal to the meritocracy, and to the point where they don't even need to be given instructions or guidelines for conduct, because they would fulfill them regardless.

The Hierarchy is more hands-off with managing the Councilors than most expect, though this is likely due to the fact that each one has the seal of approval from the Palavanus themselves, and that the Palavanus have never chosen a candidate not first presented by the Primacy Circle.

_The SYSTEMS ALLIANCE:_ In a similar theme to the other selections, the Councilor of humanity was not chosen or appointed by the Parliament, President, or the Ministerial Board. As should be expected, the candidate is directly approved by the High Lords of Sol.

The process is notably more in-depth and less political than one would assume. **Please note that this process was originally how the _Ambassador_ for the Systems Alliance was selected**, and it has recently been confirmed that **moving forward, this system will be adapted for the position of Councilor** with an unknown (but likely still stringent) process being developed for choosing the next ambassador.

They emulate the Thirty's process in some ways, but the politics are done at a lower level. Houses of the Third and Second Rank typically use this as their moment to put forward someone to be sponsored by the High Lords of Sol to be confirmed.

Not all of the High Lords will sponsor a candidate, but many will, if they wish to reward or promote a Lower House. Even having a sponsorship is a significant boost to a Lesser House, and will benefit them for years to come. There are never more than fifteen candidates, and the average number is six.

Once the candidates have been chosen, there is an _extensive_ vetting process. Each High Lord can effectively conduct their own investigations as wide or narrow as they wish. This can extend to the entire extended family or focus just on the candidate. The High Lords _do_ keep this remarkably apolitical, amazingly enough, and do not see this as a means to participate in infighting.

The High Lords are looking for the individual who will be able to best represent humanity, but more importantly, represent the interests of the High Lords. Each candidate will be brought multiple times before Court of Lords for an interrogation, and after this period is concluded, the High Lords will send a Red Note to the current President of the Systems Alliance, naming a candidate as the Councilor.

All other candidates return to their previous positions, and the role of the High Lords is complete.

_The MIGRANT FLEET: _In comparison to the selection process of the other species, how the Admiralty has chosen to go about it is less dramatic, though it will likely grow more complicated in the years to come. The Admiralty simply finds a number of candidates and reviews them, before a vote The Admiralty simply finds a number of candidates and reviews them. This will enter into a number of stages of 'culling' where each Admiral is given a single-use veto, with each culling round requiring higher and higher thresholds.

With limited data due to their recent elevation, we do not know if this will be typical for councilor selection moving forward, but we shall make the assumption (this section should be revised once more data is available). Approximately twenty-one candidates were considered by the Admiralty. The threshold for the first round was two votes in favor. Eleven of the candidates did not pass.

The threshold for the second round is three votes; most of the Admiralty used their vetoes this round. Eight more candidates were dismissed and the process went to the final threshold. While technically there is room for additional thresholds, the Admiralty does not appear to want to extend the process.

The final threshold requires four votes from the Admiralty. Please note that vetoes are not permitted past the second threshold. Two candidates were selected to participate in the final round, which is considered the final selection before the vote which operates by simple majority.

A notably straightforward and time-conserving process. The Admiralty only spent two weeks in total choosing a councilor following this process.

It's possible that this process will become more fleshed out or complicated as time goes on, but for now that is how the Quarian Councilor is chosen, and will likely continue to be for some years to come.

* * *

**STAFF APPOINTMENTS**: Each Councilor is responsible for the formation of their support staff. Without exception, each is effectively given free reign over who they appoint and hire, along with the exact number of staff. Some have had personal staff that number in the low double-digits, while some have managed with less than ten.

Typically, the more control a government exerts or possesses over a Councilor, the larger their staff will be to ensure such relationships are maintained, while more independent Councilors have smaller, but more personally loyal staff. Most Councilors also typically make hires or appointments to shore up their own weaknesses or deficiencies.

At times, the Councilor's government may make a recommendation, and depending on the relationship the Councilor possesses, they may bring them on or propose an alternative. Most Councilors know better than to openly antagonize their governments, and rarely make controversial picks.

The sign of a good staff is a lack of focus on them, and in that respect, many Councilors have very competent staff.

* * *

**EMBASSY AND AMBASSADORIAL APPOINTMENTS**: Councilors do not have the power to appoint racial ambassadors, though they will often make recommendations or submit potential applicants. The process for selecting ambassadors is done through the governments, and is not nearly as complex as choosing a Councilor, both due to the diminished position, and the increased numbers of ambassadors.

However, the Councilors and the embassies keep in very close contact with each other by necessity, and depending on the control exercised over the Councilor, are used as a point to give specific direction or instruction. An especially marked contrast compared to Councilor appointments is that many ambassadorial positions are selected and approved by lesser political bodies, as opposed to the true powers of the species.

Their roles in the embassy also vary to some degree. All have good relations with the embassies, but they do not work within an ambassadorial role, nor technically hold a position within the embassy. While in practice, the Councilors represent the interests of their species, in principle, they are supposed to make decisions based on the greater galactic good, while the embassies lobby directly for their species.

Some fulfill this better than others, but it should be clear that there are no true altruists on the Council. They have significant influence on their species' ambassadors and embassies, but technically, they have no legal authority. Much like how governments technically have no authority over SPECTREs, and we are very aware how thin that illusion is.

For better or worse, the Councilors can many times be thought of as another arm of the embassies, though a more subtle one.

* * *

**SUBCOMMITTEE ROLE**: The Council has an extremely important role over the subcommittees. The head of each subcommittee is one of the Council; exactly which member of the Council chairs a subcommittee is something which is determined by an internal vote, though it will traditionally align with racial interests and expertise (a turian will lead the Subcommittee on Defense, a salarian will lead the Subcommittee on Privacy and Intelligence, etc.). Due to the fact that there are more subcommittees than Councilors, it is allowed for Councilors to preside over more than one subcommittee.

The Councilor in question determines the tone, objectives, and pace of the subcommittee in question, and oversees all legislation relating to it, as well as advising the Council and ambassadors on matters relating to the subcommittee. The Councilor can also introduce legislation into the subcommittee for review, or draft legislation to present to the Council for a vote.

Please refer to SECTION 3 for a complete breakdown on the subcommittees.

* * *

**COHESION AND INDEPENDENCE**: Before one thinks of the Council as too divisive and paralyzed to achieve anything due to the power the various governments have over their Councilors, it should be noted that in practice, it is much smoother than may be expected. While the Councilors may sometimes directly act for the naked interests of their species, this is largely atypical, and a majority of individuals which comprise the Citadel are free of disruptive influence.

The Council has significant power, and to an extent, the various influences on the Councilors balance each other out, and make most legislation and law produced not completely biased in one direction or another. Disruption is seen negatively, and with galactic social and economic circles becoming tied closer together, it is in the interests of the Council to minimize possible disruption.

It should also not be assumed that the Councilors are _completely_ controlled. With the potential exception of a Discerning-appointed Asari Councilor, few are appointed unless they have an interest in the position. Their primary goals are to represent the interests of their government, but there is a decent amount of wiggle room on certain topics, and Councilors are many times given a lot of leeway to act independently on less important legislation and the day-to-day tasks, which comprises the majority of Council activity.

The times where the influence hanging over the Council makes itself known is on major pieces of legislation and decisions, as well as SPECTRE appointments.

* * *

**COUNCILOR TERMS AND REMOVAL**: There are no set 'term limits' for the Councilors. They are able to serve on the Council as long as they, or their governments, see fit. Some species have fallen into certain routines and ranges of time served, but there have been very few times where the resignation of a Councilor was done for reasons other than retirement or moving to another position.

Such instances include the Refusal and First Refusal War, where the Councilors were effectively discharged and replaced by their respective governments. The same would have likely been true for the Second Refusal War, had the Council survived.

Asari Councilors typically serve between fifty to one hundred years, though there are a couple of instances of them serving up to two hundred. Salarians have very short appointment times by comparison, ranging between three to five years, with the longest serving ten. Turians appointees have ranged from twenty to forty years. Given that humans and quarians are newcomers to the Council, we have no data to pull from, but due to their lifespans, it is estimated they would be between ten to thirty years, depending on the whims of the High Lords and Admiralty, respectively.

There does exist a mechanism for a Councilor to be forcefully expelled, but it is extremely strict and only been invoked twice – and that was when a certain Turian Councilor was embroiled in criminal activity and a salarian in an espionage scandal. The rules first require every racial embassy not of the targeted Councilor lodge a complaint with the Council for their removal. This _must_ have every single other species on board, or the inquiry cannot move to the next step.

Previously, with three members, this wasn't as large of a hurdle. With the expansion to five members, it will be much harder to force the removal of a Councilor.

Should this happen, the Council will charge C-Sec to open an investigation into the Councilor (this will happen regardless of criminal implications or not), with assistance from racial law enforcement. The Councilor in question will be suspended from making decisions until the judgment is rendered.

In the event that the Councilor in question does not resign, a formal hearing will be called, with evidence as to why the Councilor should be removed presented before the Council, with C-Sec providing their own evidence and recommendation. The final decision will be made with simple vote. In the case of ties, C-Sec's recommendation will determine the outcome.

It is a long and complicated process, and typically, if a Councilor is simply _that_ incompatible with the rest of the Council, they will be replaced long before that point, either voluntarily or by their government.

* * *

**THE COUNCIL : LEGISLATION**

* * *

The primary function of the Council is to handle legislation for the entirety of Citadel Space. This is an understandably gargantuan task, with each piece having significant implications on a galaxy through even the smallest changes. However, it cannot be said that the Council is idle. Even if each piece of legislature takes months to be finalized, there are so many happening concurrently that to some it seems like a new law is passed every day.

There is a perception that the Council does very little outside of voting on legislation, but the truth is that they are _extremely_ active in both the crafting and finalizing stages, as recall that Councilors are the heads of subcommittees, and have intimate knowledge of what is being decided upon.

There are four ways in which legislation is handled or introduced to the Council, which is listed below.

* * *

**LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL**: Legislative proposal is one of two main forms of bill or legislature introduction. This type originates from a specific Councilor, which can cover any topic desired by the Councilor. Typically, this is not done without significant preparation, otherwise there is a high chance that the bill in question will be condemned to 'legislative purgatory' as there are many other items the Council needs to decide in the interim.

Typically, if a Councilor wishes to introduce legislation through this path, they will have already consulted the respective subcommittees, stakeholders, and other parties that will be affected. They will have expert witnesses, presenters, and data to show the benefits of this legislation to the rest of the Council.

This presentation will last from one to three days, and at the end, the Council will have two votes. The first is to accept or reject the basic premise of the bill itself. If it is approved, it will go to the second vote. If not, the legislation is rejected completely and cannot be salvaged. This rarely happens unless the Councilor in particular made too many errors or did an obscenely poor job.

The second vote determines if the legislation should be made into law or sent back to the subcommittees for review. For legislation to be enshrined into law this way, it _must_ be unanimously approved. Ties or rejections will send the legislation back for review, delaying potential approval for at least three months.

This type of proposal is not used for major pieces of legislation, but for minor tweaks and regulations to existing laws, loopholes, or provisions. Annual budgets in particular are introduced by a predetermined Councilor as it _is_ technically the quickest way to enshrine laws and ratify legislation.

* * *

**LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL**: The more traditional process for larger pieces of legislation originates from the subcommittees themselves. While keeping the Council informed as the legislation is developed, the subcommittees will carefully and meticulously craft legislation, while holding meetings with stakeholders and expert witnesses who give updates, input, and changes to the Council directly, usually facilitated by the Legislation Lead of the respective legislature.

There are several stages each piece of legislature must pass through in this method. The first is the conceptual approval. This is effectively asking the Council to grant approval to pursue the end goal of the legislation in question. There does _not_ need to be any prior research or data, but it generally will not hurt. The Council votes and should it be approved, work on the legislation will begin in earnest.

Within two months, the Legislative Lead must put together a project plan with major milestones and stakeholders and submit it to the Council for approval. If it is approved, future meetings will be contingent upon those milestones, with the Lead providing appropriate results as they relate to the legislature. If delays are expected, these _must_ be explained to the Council, at the risk of the Council scrapping the legislation entirely.

Once all the stakeholders have signed off on the legislation and each milestone has been successfully completed, the Lead will submit it to the Council for final review. This is a majority vote, and it is all or nothing – the legislature will be ratified into law, or it will be scrapped completely.

Generally though, very few pieces of legislature fail to pass final approval and if there are extensive problems, they are stopped well before that point.

* * *

**REFERENDUM**: In some very rare instances, the Council will vote to have a piece of legislation be put to a public referendum, which can be as wide or narrow in scope as is wished. This is a _very_ versatile executive tool, far more than most expect when hearing of it. While the Council _can_ have it apply to all citizens of Citadel Space, in actuality, it is used far more surgically than that.

For instance, a Councilor can use it to have a referendum _only_ apply to that particular Councilor's vote, while the others can vote as usual. The referendum can also be as limited as a planet, species, or even ranks. For instance, legislation that will affect human agricultural exports to Citadel Space may result in a Human Councilor putting forward a referendum where human agricultural worlds would give their approval or rejection, and they would vote based on the result. Other Councilors could join this effort, but that is not required.

Typically though, most referendums are restricted to Citadel Station, and rarely Citadel Space as a whole. It is rare that surgical referendums are used beyond these circumstances, and are tools for a Councilor to subtly hint their disapproval at a piece of legislation and a means of slowing the process down.

Very rarely is legislation of any importance actually put up for referendums. It applies more to PR stunts, like ratifying galactic holidays or slight tax changes.

* * *

**OPEN FORUM**: Have you ever wanted to change the law? Are you tired of getting accosted by C-Sec because you're exercising your spirits-given right to bear your Sunfire pistol in public? Do you think you should pay 0% in taxes because you're _that good_ of a citizen?

Well, thanks to the Open Forum you too can bring laws before the Council!*

_*Restrictions apply._

Subject to some mockery, the Open Forum is an event once per month where the Council will review proposals presented by public representatives. There _are_ some restrictions, of course – namely that there is an absurdly high threshold to even _get_ your item on the docket (approximately ten percent of all individuals who would be affected by these changes).

This was largely a way to placate the loud anti-Council voices who believe they are tyrannical dictators shoving laws down the galaxy's throat. Nonetheless, this was a clever move by the Council as it ultimately puts control completely in their hands. At this stage, movements which get enough support to go before the Council have entire organizations dedicated to getting their demands met, which weeds out the riff-raff.

Simply put, the proposal will be presented by representatives, and the Council will vote on if they will 'approve the proposal for future implementation' or not. This effectively means that if it _is_ approved, it isn't law, but is basically the first stage of Legislative Approval. The proposal will go to the respective subcommittee who will work with the groups in question to prepare it for final implementation.

This is rarely effective at enacting legitimate change, but it serves as an excellent way for the Council to at least pretend they are listening to the common citizen.

* * *

**THE COUNCIL : INTERNAL DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS**

* * *

The internal politics between the Citadel and their members is something which is typically stable and mutually beneficial, though is not without its own challenges and issues. It also depends on the status of the species in question, as while most Council races have little to complain about, other non-Council races have long felt there was bias or favoritism in play despite the Council officially denying any.

The recent addition of the Systems Alliance to the Council, and the addition and elevation of the quarians to both the Citadel _and_ the Council has significantly shaken up internal affairs across the board, and it is very likely that outlooks and predictions will be rendered obsolete in the months ahead.

This section is recommended for biannual review for the next five years or until the political situation has stabilized.

**THE ASARI REPUBLIC**: The asari enjoy a prosperous and mutually beneficial relationship with the Citadel Council. The asari are a species who make an effort to give the illusion of cooperation and friendship to the galaxy, and have, in large part, been successful. As a result – especially at the beginning – the asari have been able to tie themselves to Citadel species in a way where their interests are tied closely together, which the Thirty have leveraged over the centuries to give the asari what amounts to preferential treatment in nearly all legislation.

The asari are extremely well-represented in the Citadel, taking close to a majority of diplomatic positions, a full quarter of scientific positions, and account for close to twenty percent of all Citadel personnel. This is not including the oft-overlooked fact that a significant number of other Citadel personnel are mated with or romantically linked to asari.

This is not to say this is an inherently nefarious scheme, but the fact remains that the Thirty have been encouraging migration to Citadel Station since the beginning, and you will find that of all the species, the asari hold near-universally positive views on the Citadel, and many consider it to be firmly tied with the asari as a people.

Essentially, it is subtly presented as close to an asari institution as possible without actually being one. Asari schooling emphasizes quite openly that without the asari, the Council wouldn't exist. Which, while technically true, also implies that the rest of the galaxy is likewise indebted to the asari and shouldn't challenge them much, and nor should the Citadel.

It should not be a surprise then that the asari are some of the Council's most staunch defenders. To the asari, their status is tied to the power of the Citadel. If the Citadel ever fades, it is likely that their species will fade along with it.

**THE SALARIAN UNION**: The relationship between the SIX and Citadel has also largely been a positive one, though the salarians have not utilized it the way the asari have. True to their nature, the salarians are less interested in the social engineering holding a seat on the Council allows, than knowing the fundamental and underlying structure which makes up Citadel law, policy, and economics.

The salarians have a smaller representation throughout most Citadel positions, except in four places – of which they have _significant_ or dominant representation. The first is Citadel Security. Salarians make up over one quarter of detectives, investigators, and analysts. Over a third of the leadership is salarian. Most people have the impression that C-Sec is dominated by turians, and while this is _technically_ true, the number of salarians in positions of sensitivity is very high – and largely ignored.

They make up over three-quarters of the Subcommittee on Privacy and Intelligence – and, in fact, were the species who _set up__ that institution_. There is strong evidence to suggest that the SIX actively dictate surveillance policy through them, which the rest of the Council is seemingly fine with. They hold over a third of the seats on the Subcommittee on Precursor Matters and a quarter of the seats on the Subcommittee on Science.

If it isn't clear, there is a large amount of evidence that points to undercover STG operatives holding seats in positions of sensitivity, and providing the SIX with at least _some_ of the information. Again, like the asari, this is not to indicate that every salarian is an STG infiltrator, but that they are there, and they are not idle.

Finally, a solid forty percent of SPECTREs are salarian, and over half of those are involved in support, reconnaissance, or are usually given tasks which are intelligence-related. It is not unreasonable to believe that the SIX are very well-informed as to the various operations of the galaxy, and the secrets of the Citadel.

The salarians have not leveraged their position in obvious ways, but they have used the Citadel to keep themselves informed and remain relatively stable. It is for this reason they are largely averse to significant or unexpected change – and why many salarians look upon the Citadel with apathy.

**THE TURIAN HIERARCHY**: The turian relationship with the Citadel has been a decidedly atypical one. Were they not instrumental in the Krogan Rebellions, it is very unlikely they would have been elevated to the position of a Council race. They were added for political reasons, and it has showed in the centuries since.

While there are many instances where the turians have benefited from their position – namely in military matters, and it is largely because of their position that the turians are heavily involved in all defense and law enforcement matters – their singular place of influence – they were more or less the odd one out when it comes to the Council.

They have a poor grasp of economics, are too proud to consider relying on the volus too much, and as a result, are open to the subtle machinations of the asari and salarians who bury turians in legalese and effectively ensure that the turian reading the bill gets bored upon review and approves it for passage.

A simplification, of course, but the turians as a people are not properly equipped, nor have the right mindset to successfully integrate and stand their ground in an environment like the Citadel – _especially_ if they do not have allies who look out for them. Influence over defense topics isn't necessarily useful if there is nothing to defend against, and even where there is, turians do not have the instincts to leverage it properly.

Only the Palavanus have some grasp on political maneuvering – the reason the Hierarchy has a seat on the Council at all – but since that point, they have not had an impact on politics outside of occasionally selecting a Councilor and holding some nonpartisan positions on the subcommittees.

Something to keep a sharp eye out for is how the Hierarchy will adapt to the new Council members. It was Sparatus who advocated for their elevation, which if true (and there is little reason to doubt), is a notable and shrewd move – though not completely unexpected given what we have learned about him. There is potential for the humans and turians to form a counter-bloc to the asari and salarians – and that would significantly alter the calculus of Council decision-making.

**THE SYSTEMS ALLIANCE**: To say the relationship between the Council and the humans has been _contentious_ is putting it rather lightly. Since the Relay 314 Incident, humans have tended to view the Council with some degree of suspicion, largely associated with the role the turians played.

There is something of a disconnect between the average human citizen and the Systems Alliance in how they view the Citadel. Many humans are xenophobic and view tying themselves to the galactic community through the Citadel as submitting to alien rule in a sense. They view the Council as unelected dictators, and there is no end to the number of elaborate conspiracy theories surrounding the eventual assimilation and enslavement of humans under the Council.

Rather sad and pathetic, truth be told.

The Systems Alliance has wisely ignored this infantile approach, and instead sought to expand their own influence within the Citadel, seeing a path to gaining galactic-wide influence. They've tied themselves closely with the asari (who've subsequently used them to their own advantage), served as a Council proxy in settling the Traverse and other colony worlds – subsequently expanding Council reach – and acted as a counter to the spread of the batarians.

On just this, the Alliance was positioned to rise rapidly, but this was further enhanced by the humans being extremely _aggressive_ towards the Council. They pushed and pushed for more representation, more seats, more exceptions, and more influence. The Alliance knew they had some leverage, and used it liberally.

While this has succeeded in part, it is unlikely that even the Alliance believed they would be elevated to the Council so soon. Judging from reports, the plan leading to eventual elevation would involve a less contentious and aggressive relationship with the Council to make themselves appear gradually more palatable.

As it stands, the relationship between the Alliance and the Council, while not _bad_, is – as described – tense. It is not helped by the fact that Alliance political parties have begun exploiting human xenophobia at the worst possible time, which will make initial relations potentially rocky.

However, so long as the High Lords maintain that the Alliance will work with the Council, it will be done. We will soon see if both parties can work together – and how the balance of power will be shifted.

**THE MIGRANT FLEET**: The biggest unknown for the Citadel is, without a doubt, the Migrant Fleet. Until just recently, the quarians weren't even _part_ of the Citadel, let alone part of the Council. There was clear resentment towards the quarians among Citadel citizens for their role in the creation of the geth, and the economic displacement the roaming Migrant Fleet caused.

Suffice to say, the quarians are not integrating into a welcoming environment.

The quarians will be a significantly destabilizing element as the Citadel will reshuffle personnel and create new positions to accommodate them, which will doubtless exacerbate the resentment to their integration. The quarians will also have to fully integrate into intra-Citadel markets, laws, and other legal systems.

Independent of the modern biases, it remains to be seen how the quarians will fit into the dynamics of the Citadel. Prior to their expulsion from Citadel Space, the quarians also had a contentious and sometimes outright hostile relationship with the Council, and the salarians in particular – especially concerning artificial intelligence and espionage.

There is a high possibility that these disagreements still remain, and could cause tension on the Council. It is likely that as far as the Council is concerned, the quarians will be more likely to align with the humans and turians than the asari or salarians. To some extent, it will also depend on how willing the quarians are to abide by the laws and rules.

If the quarians are willing to make some concessions, and commit to full integration, they will have a major impact on the future of the Council. But for that to happen, they need to use their influence wisely and form alliances with others. Based on their initial actions, they are taking the right steps.

We shall see if the Admiralty continues this course of action.

**THE VOL PROTECTORATE**: As the dynamics of the Citadel change, a major player which should be watched is the volus. With their official break from the Hierarchy, this is a clear sign that they are intending to exercise their influence more overtly. The volus are not an aggressive or violent people, and this has been used against them.

However, the fact that the humans – a species discovered a handful of decades ago – and the quarians – a species that was _expelled_ from the Council – _both_ received Council seats before the volus has chafed at them significantly. They – not without reason – consider it an unjustifiable and unfair decision, given that they have been a loyal member of the Citadel far longer than either species.

It is viewed as pure favoritism on the part of the humans, and misguided guilt or reward for the quarians. The volus have long believed that they have gone unappreciated by the Council, and this has generated significant resentment, though they have yet to express this in any way other than the occasional odd comment.

The Council seems to recognize this too, and while they aren't elevating them, they are taking steps to placate the volus from doing anything drastic, as they are well aware of how the volus could disrupt the galactic economy if they wished. The volus are being given more influence over additional sectors of the Citadel, while the VDF is being sought after for bolstering military and C-Sec forces.

The first volus SPECTRE was also quietly inaugurated recently, a major decision and very reflective of the changing standards surrounding the program. Please refer to SECTION 6 for more information.

Altogether, this has seemed to placate the volus, and has signaled that while they aren't getting a Council seat now, there is groundwork being laid to elevate them in the future. Regardless of if this is the intent, it is nonetheless a smart move that bolsters the ties between volus and Citadel, strengthens the Citadel as a whole, and downplays a perceived bias against the species.

How they act with this increased influence will be indicative of the type of relationship they will pursue for the immediate future.

**THE ELCOR**: The elcor are largely inconsequential.

Harsh a judgment as it may be, it is accurate. Throughout the entire history of the Council, the elcor have not made a notable impact. They barely have a presence on the Citadel or the accompanying subcommittees. They do not challenge the Council, nor even any of the other Citadel members. They barely fight for what they want, and tend to favor the status quo over disruptive changes.

This is not to say they have been treated poorly or haven't benefited from the Council. Frankly, they are too unimportant for the Council to bother making their lives difficult or take significant advantage of. It also helps that the elcor are deferential, and maintain largely positive relations with the other Citadel species.

As a result, they are never really harmed, nor do they benefit, and _no one_ ever seeks out their input for anything of consequence. Even with the shakeup of the Council, do not expect the elcor to play any significant role going forward. The volus do have strong ties to the elcor, and tend to look out for them from being taken advantage of too much, so should the volus continue to rise, the elcor may experience a similar, if inconsequential, bump as well.

* * *

**THE COUNCIL : EXTERNAL DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS**

* * *

The external diplomatic relations the Council conducts are largely less developed than their internal ones for the simple reason that outside of the Council, there are not many factions and organizations that warrant dedicated communication. Most are criminal syndicates or colonies and groups too small to really pay attention to.

Only a few entities are major players in the galaxy, and historically, the Council has a habit of not maintaining strong communications with those they've cut off. This is, effectively, a means of punishing dissent. They want the species to come crawling back to the Council, not the other way around.

**THE KROGAN CLANS**: Due to the krogan not having a definitive leader or one who can reliably control the various clans, it would be inaccurate to state that the Citadel has any substantial relationship at all. Most clans are still on Tuchanka and focused on their own internal affairs, and the few who are external are part of the Blood Pack, are independent mercenaries or bodyguards, or loners, not representative of the clans.

Following the Krogan Rebellions, the Council appears to not be interested in maintaining any substantial contact. There are representatives on Tuchanka, of course, but they are largely inspectors and special operations soldiers who continually inspect and observe to make sure the krogan aren't building any weapons, ships, or reforming into a united front.

The one exception to this is Clan Ganar, which maintains diplomatic connections to the Citadel, primarily through the asari. There appears to be an agreement Okeer made with the Council that he would handle the clans and communicate any significant developments should they arise.

We have taken this to mean that the Council has largely ceded the handling of the clans to Okeer to do as he wishes, which would align with their support for him, and allow someone else to put effort into watching the clans. It is very likely there are SPECTREs who occasionally perform tours of their own, but those are rare and appear to be reconnaissance-based in nature.

**THE GETH**: The Council has no formal communications with the geth, nor do they intend to. Their only stated goal is the containment and eventual elimination of the geth. We do not expect this policy to change, especially in light of Spectre Shepard's tragic death.

**THE BATARIAN EMPIRE**: Even when the batarians were a part of the Citadel, there was significant tension and disagreement. Had the batarians not left voluntarily in protest, it is likely they would have been expelled from the Citadel eventually. Since their defeat at the hands of the humans, the death of the Hegemon, and contraction of their influence, it would be fair to say the batarians have continued to fade.

Official relations between the Emperor and the Council have not been utilized since this point, and the official diplomats were rejected by the Empire, effectively cutting off all points of communication. The batarians do not have an embassy, nor does the Citadel have a presence on Khar'shan.

However, there are signs that this may change, interestingly enough. The Emperor has begun a significant restructuring of his inner circle and reconfiguring batarian territory as a result. The relevant part of this is that he has rebuilt some measure of a diplomatic corps he has begun using to reach out to various parties in the Terminus (namely Aria), as well as the hanar, interestingly enough.

Notably, the hanar have rejected them, and all contact appears to be through intermediaries. It is not clear why this is.

It is also not clear what has prompted this change in direction from the Emperor, but we suspect it is related to the Reaper attack. Now, he appears to be reorienting to be – or at least appear – more cooperative. It is likely that there will come a point where he will directly (and covertly) reach out to the Council. As it stands, there is only preliminary signaling from diplomats that the Empire is once again interested in talking.

For their part, the Council has been keeping close tabs on the Empire, and the batarian Imperial-caste specifically. They are very interested in the Emperor, though after once losing half of the CSTG and a dozen SPECTREs trying to penetrate various batarian landmarks and locations (including the Palace and the Lake of Black), they have kept their distance.

A final note of interest – no Batarian Emperor has ever met the Citadel Council. Nor has any of the Council ever stepped foot on Khar'shan.

Even if communication is reestablished, we do not expect a substantial improvement in relations. The Emperor would not be interested in compromise, nor would the Council want to be seen with the Emperor or giving the appearance of making a deal with him.

**THE TERMINUS SYSTEMS AND ARIA T'LOAK**: The Council has had a long and rocky relationship with the Terminus Systems since the original Terminus Incident, and have continually sought – through overt and subtle means – to limit their power and influence. To date, they have largely succeeded in ensuring the region is a spirits-cursed region of crime lords, pirates, and clone-leggers.

The Council does not maintain formal ties with, or recognize any colonial, independent, or criminal power, and such individuals are marked for arrest within Citadel territory. Private armies, mercenary organizations, and bodyguard groups such as the Blue Suns or Eclipse are treated a bit more leniently, but they have no diplomatic representation and tread a very thin line they are careful not to cross in Citadel Space.

Aria T'Loak is a special case; if she did not have some form of compromising information that we suspect she does, she would have been either turned as a full asset or eliminated. For many years, the Citadel pretended she didn't exist, nor did Aria necessarily push the Council towards action. As explained previously, the Council has their reasons for allowing her to remain, even if for the asari she poses a continual risk.

Since the Benezia Incident, Aria has taken the unusual step of directly and covertly reaching out to the Council. This has understandably been kept _very_ quiet, and the exchanges have been few and clean. It speaks to how concerned Aria is that she is taking this step, as well as the Council for even allowing it in the first place.

We do not expect the Council to legitimize Aria, but we do foresee the possibility of the Council forging more direct and indirect connections to Aria, and the Terminus at large, likely leveraging Citadel Intelligence, the SPECTREs, and certain intermediaries like Ganar Okeer. We also expect Aria to make more aggressive actions to secure her own territory, as well as cut back Citadel operations if she continues working with them.

The situation is fluid, and should be monitored closely.

**THE BROKER NETWORK**: The Council and the Shadow Broker have enjoyed a long, prosperous, and mutually beneficial relationship since the foundation of the Broker Network. The Broker Network has been a staunch supporter of the Council, and preserving galactic stability has been a continuing focus.

The Broker Network has helped provide many public services to the Citadel, including solving thousands of criminal cases, providing intelligence on hostile entities and organizations who posed an immediate threat to the safety of Citadel citizens, and has prevented numerous terrorist attacks and assassinations on the loyal and innocent people of the Citadel.

The useful and apolitical nature of the Broker Network has been utilized by many law-abiding and conscientious individuals throughout Citadel Space, and given many people advantages they otherwise would not have possessed. And, of course, it was thanks to the efforts of the Broker Network that Saren was exposed and the assistance of the Shadow Broker helped bring an end to the Benezia Incident.

In more serious terms:

The Broker Network has been a relationship that the Council tries not to think about too hard. Many of them do not like using it, but at the same time, they realize that they _have_ to use it – or they've tricked themselves into thinking such, at least. They rationalize and justify to themselves why they use the Network, but at the end of the day, they do, and that's what matters.

The reputation the Network has built for itself has worked to our advantage many times. Often the stories – both real and fabricated – of our reach are enough to dissuade action being taken against us. The ongoing disinformation campaigns continue to unbalance and confuse the few individuals and groups which attempt to find vectors to exploit, and continue the narrative of our infinite reach.

Thanks to several high-cost and high-profile operations against individuals who have attempted to go after the Broker Network, the number of individuals actively opposed has dropped significantly, and most have accepted the Broker Network as a necessary evil of the galaxy. The C-Sec Executor continues to be a target of interest, but he is wary of the Network, and has instead turned his sights to oppose a less dangerous target: the SPECTREs.

The SPECTREs are largely reliable and rely on the Network for significant chunks of information. Several are compromised to the point of being reliable agents for us, Spectre Vasir as a prime example. However, there are developments since the restructuring of the SPECTRE Corps that may indicate a shift in how they should be treated.

There are a small number – I will note _small_ – of SPECTREs who are beginning to probe Network activities and assets. Several low-level operatives have gone missing, and temporary low-level penetrations of the Network occurred. We did not trace them to the SPECTREs until recently. We are working to identify the sources.

We suspect that it is possible that Citadel Intelligence is acting more openly against the Network. Due to their unique situation, they are more difficult to mitigate, and they have long opposed the Network, though never attempted to move against us in this manner. Should we not covertly contain this disruption, we will employ other methods of ceasing these penetrations.

It is not confirmed, but it is possible that the Council may become less reliable as time goes on. The Broker Network cannot take the narrative around us for granted. If we are ever openly defeated, it will do significant harm to our image and embolden the elements within the Citadel to continue their actions to undermine us.

Executing the proposed mitigation plan is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

**THE COLLECTORS**: The Citadel Council officially has no communication with the entities known as the 'Collectors.'

The same is not strictly true for others within the organization.

Granted, confirmed interactions are few and far between, but there is undeniable proof that there have been SPECTREs who have interacted at once point or another with the Collectors and received unknown technology in exchange for equally unknown materials or completing certain tasks.

We do not know how connections were established in the first place, or the goals and motives of the Collectors for seeking out SPECTRE help. More recently, Citadel Intelligence has developed an interest in the Collectors, as has the Subcommittee on Precursor Matters. We believe the Citadel is developing a unified policy on reaching out to the Collectors, though we do not know how successful it will be, nor what the Council wishes to gain.

Investigations into this are ongoing.

**THE HANAR ASCENDENCY**: Until very recently, the Citadel Council had no formal contact with the Hanar Ascendency. Formal diplomatic ties have been created and severed several times as the result of the Refusal Wars, but in the aftermath of the Benezia Incident, the Ascendency is signaling their willingness to begin preliminary diplomacy again.

Interestingly, prior to this they have maintained a direct line to the hanar community on the Citadel, which the Citadel has monitored, but nothing of value has really been gained, and from the messages, it seemed like the Ascendency expected eavesdropping.

Despite the violent history between the Citadel and Ascendency, it is not out of the question that both groups will reconnect to some degree. The hanar do not hold grudges, and the Council is concerned about the future Reaper threat. This may be enough to force them to take a controversial step and acknowledge the hanar more openly.

We do not expect this step to be taken for some time, if ever. We do not know the current internal calculus of the hanar, and their actions may not be reflective of their true intentions. This situation should be monitored closely.

* * *

**COUNCILOR: TEVOS T'SAEL**

**SPECIES**: Asari

**AGE**: 305

**BIOGRAPHY**: Tevos T'Sael is one of the most recognizable public figures in the galaxy, and the asari in particular. She is the subject of tireless speculation, rumors, conspiracies, and discussion in political and media circles. The elevation of a woman of a small Guardian House to the representative of the asari on the Council has been painted by the Thirty in an inspiring light that skill and hard work will be rewarded.

Tevos is rather unique in that she seems to simultaneously fulfill all asari stereotypes – positive and negative – depending on how one feels about the asari. She is seen as the wise and graceful ambassador, the slick politician with curated speeches and poisoned words, the gentle voice of reason and compromise, or the degenerate who sleeps her way to influence.

This has led to many ordinary citizens (especially aliens disinclined to like asari) disliking her, and viewing her as manipulative and dishonest, while career politicians and diplomatic officials hold her in high regard. Speaking from what we have on her, Tevos is a competent representative of the asari.

She strives to be a 'voice of reason' and moderator of almost every topic, presenting the asari as the adults in the room who propose the best middle ground solution. She's made a point to forge ties with every Citadel race (even the elcor), and signaled and performed actions that indicate genuine interest in asari cooperation and galactic unity.

Tevos has also somehow acquired the reputation that she is less eloquent than most asari, especially at this level, which can largely be attributed as a deliberate attempt to use more straightforward language and shed the 'elitist' perception many asari are accused of. This appears to have worked to some degree, as turians and many lower-class humans in particular have higher opinions of her than her predecessors.

In-person, she is described much differently, very eloquent, thoughtful, and refined. Very few people who have met her have bad things to say. This leads into the face she keeps out of the public eye completely. She has formed thousands of connections across Citadel Space, and a great number of those are romantic connections.

How she manages so many is unknown, but nonetheless impressive. Her extensive connections and apparent knowledge of everyone even moderately important is the source of many conspiracies, with some linking her to mythical asari figures, long-dead humans, and suppressed alien species.

It is fair to say that she is an expert seductress, men and women of all species have fallen to the charms of an asari who isn't especially breathtaking by physical standards. Many people have made note of her many connections, but few are asking the question of what she is _getting_ from them – or what she is _doing_.

An extensive review of legislation passed reveals that while a significant number of pieces were either neutral or benefited the asari in some way, Tevos had little to no input in them, and in general, she seems to refrain from taking initiative herself when it comes to major legislation. So, the question becomes why asari-biased legislation still appears, despite seemingly little input from Tevos.

This is not a coincidence, but not as straightforward as most suspect.

There has been an enduring question of who Tevos actually represents. Few believe she is actually acting on her own. The STG know she has a handler, but they are divided on if she's being directed by Thana, Irrissa, or the House of Storms itself. Most believe she answers to Irrissa, since the Ambassador is a direct mouthpiece of the Thirty and both women interact frequently.

This is inherent misdirection which every observer appears to have bought, as no one has figured out what Tevos really is. If it isn't apparent, it is almost certain the Tevos is part of the Discerning. Her actions line up firmly with known Discerning activity. Large networks of friends and lovers, polymorphic and charismatic personalities, malleable public face, clean and largely empty background, passive actions and a reactive personality.

Assuming she is Discerning – and there is little evidence indicating otherwise – that makes her far more dangerous than most assume. She is likely extensive trained in self-defense, a more powerful biotic than expected, and skilled in multiple weapon types. The fact that the Discerning have chosen the Councilor indicate that the Thirty are on edge and they want to have a finger on the pulse of power.

That is what Tevos has provided. It is not known how many secrets she has taken from her lovers over the years, but whatever she learned, it is assuredly in the hands of the Thirty. The network she has meticulously built up will be difficult to bring down, especially not without attracting attention.

If we want to look at who truly pulls the strings, it is not Irrissa, nor even Thana. No matter if Tevos serves the Thirty, it is Matriarch Yulsanis who will always retain influence. It is recommended we look to her for additional insights.

**MALLEABILITY**: The fact that she is almost certainly Discerning is damning enough. While most of the Council races are aware of the Discerning in concept, many are under the illusion that they are immune to Discerning penetration or view it as more of an asari promotion team instead of a cultural hijacking operation.

In short, the Discerning are badly underestimated by everyone except the STG and, surprisingly enough, the High Lords of Sol. Learning that the most prominent asari in the galaxy is one of their number would be eye-opening, and could easily throw governments, businesses, media outlets, and militaries into a panic since they _don't know what she knows_.

Or what she has passed on.

Tevos – and Yulsanis – know what they are doing. At the same time, a scandal of this nature could expose the Discerning and instigate a public backlash on the asari they would not recover from for a very long time. Useful if the Thirty ever become problematic. As much as the Discerning have solidified their status in the galaxy, it would take very little for it to be their undoing.

Aside from that, Tevos is unlikely to be pliable. She is more likely to have blackmail than be blackmailed. She is a true puppet of the Discerning, and by extension the Thirty and Yulsanis. She cannot be swayed, bribed, or coerced to do something the Thirty have not directed her to. She is more likely to take her own life or fall on a metaphorical sword than damage the Thirty.

She is not an appropriate vector for penetrating the asari, and due to her connections to the Discerning, using her via romantic connections will not be possible. There are few viable options for appropriately utilizing her, and the Discerning revelations should only be utilized as a last resort due to the ramifications.

She has a neutral opinion on the Broker Network and will use it, but does not trust the Shadow Broker.

**STAFF OF NOTE – CHAOL ZELI'A**: An otherwise unknown asari of the Lesser House, Chaol Zeli'a is someone who is entirely unremarkable and has only the most basic manufactured history. She is another identified Discerning operative, and who we strongly believe to be Tevos's handler who takes information back to the Thirty, and likely Yulsanis specifically.

We know very little of her outside of this. Her meetings with Tevos are always in private, in a random location in the Wards, and never for more than one hour. We suspect all information is transferred through bonding, as Tevos travels disguised and carries no electronics with her during this time.

It is unknown if Chaol is operating in other places, or if she has a role beyond intermediary between Tevos and Yulsanis.

**STAFF OF NOTE – PAVOLA VAKESSA**: An asari of one of the Guardian Houses, Pavola is fairly young for an asari, but seen as highly promising by many of her peers. A friend of Tevos's from childhood, both women reconnected as Tevos was being tapped for Councilor, and Pavola was soon offered a place in her staff.

We suspect this position was offered so Tevos would have an inroad into the Guardian Houses and could begin building her network within, but this could be a rare instance where she was chosen for non-political reasons, as their relationship is not sexually based, and Pavola is a fairly competent administrator on her own. Nonetheless, Tevos has certainly benefited from this connection.

Pavola has similarly proven herself to be invaluable to the Councilor, and become among her most trusted, managing her vast network of connections, put in charge of scheduling, and has final say on all agendas outside of Tevos herself. We have not found anything to indicate that Pavola is compromised, which while unexpected, is not an unwelcome development.

Tevos relies on her. If necessary, this vulnerability can be exploited.

**STAFF OF NOTE – MARVIN ELIKSNI**: This is one of the most enigmatic and unknown figures connected to Tevos. Marvin Eliksni is a male human, of medium build and plain features, who is also a former N7 who is actually supposed to be dead. His face has changed, but physical samples have confirmed his identity.

No one seems to know who he is, only that he is _never_ far from where Tevos is at all times. Sometimes he's a Citadel Guard, other times C-Sec, other times a plainclothes civilian. His disguise depends on his environment. He is somehow in possession of a comprehensive clearance, has access to every non-racially controlled area of the Citadel, and apparently has his own connections to several SPECTREs.

We don't know exactly _what_ his role is, but he definitely answers to Tevos and enters her chambers nightly through a hidden entrance. Despite the implications, we are not actually sure if their connection is romantic or not. It is possible that he is a highly specialized bodyguard. He constantly shadows her, is difficult to detect unless you are looking for him, and very efficient.

I lost three operatives prior to us knowing he existed at all, and only after these losses did we begin making the connection. Due to her profile, she is doubtlessly a target each day, and the fact that three of our _own_ operatives were disposed of without so much as a whisper on the Network until hours later indicates that he is also a fixer to some extent.

A lethal operative who detects, eliminates, and disposes of threats all day, every day. There is almost certainly more to his story – specifically _why_ he is working for Tevos – but that would require a dedicated investigation, and due to the threat posed, it fell outside the scope of this assignment.

A dedicated investigation is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

* * *

**COUNCILOR: MANNOVAI URVESH TAKAN NAIN DULSOON SHUELTAR ERDAT VALERN**

**SPECIES**: Salarian

**AGE**: 36

**BIOGRAPHY**: Of all the Councilors, Valern is one of the most curious and uncertain elements of the Council dynamic. On the surface, it would be easy to try and fit him into a neat box as an STG plant focused on ensuring the interests of the SIX and the Shuel family in particular, but his background, governance, and the individuals he is connected to paint a more complicated picture.

Born into a minor jenoth, and one tied not just to the Shuel, but also Solus, Manno, and Yaan families, he had a largely unremarkable childhood until he entered into the STG, becoming one of the few to earn a unique moniker – 'Ghost' – due to his skill at remaining undetected, eliminating targets without leaving a trace, and being able to exfiltrate from almost any situation.

His operations during this period were largely in the Terminus Systems, specifically targeting the Blood Pack, Cerberus, and several other minor groups, warlords, and colonies. Notably, they do not appear to have been connected to Aria, though it is very likely that Valern is very well-informed about Aria and her forces.

He had a very high success rate for an STG operative – near ninety percent from our estimates – although when he suffered defeats, they were major defeats. In fact, one of those defeats led to his entire team being wiped out, and ultimately was what led to him leaving field operations and taking a position within the Ministry of Intelligence, where he served for several years afterwards.

It is unknown _why_ exactly Valern was tapped for running as Councilor, but within just a single year of holding a senior advisory position within the Ministry of Intelligence, he was approached by representatives from the Solus family. Ostensibly, this was supposedly an effort for them to exercise some control over the next Councilor.

What was apparently _not_ expected, was Valern covertly approaching some of the other families of the SIX – specifically Manno, Shuel, and Yaan – and also managing to identify, discredit, and remove other candidates _also_ up for consideration. It isn't entirely clear how Valern managed to clear almost the _entire field_ of competition, but it is suspected that he played the families against each other, using resources from all of them to improve his standing during the contentious candidate phase.

Rumors which we have been unable to verify suggest that he received direct support from STG elements, though we are doubtful that they would risk the wrath of the SIX by overtly interfering to such a degree in favor of a certain candidate (especially since at least two other candidates were also STG affiliates). Nonetheless, there are two explanations for how Valern was able to effectively breeze through the nomination process – either he had inside STG help, or the Wheel Priests he consulted with were more useful than anyone assumed.

When Valern was finally nominated to the position of Councilor, he found himself in a unique place – independent. He was one of few Councilors in salarian history who was not in a position where one family held  
complete sway over him, granting him a healthy degree of freedom and leeway. The SIX were incensed when they learned he had  
effectively played them against each other – for once being the manipulated and  
not the manipulators – but each of them seemed to hold onto the belief  
that _they_ were the ones who held the most sway – and their  
concern that antagonizing him could help their rivals tempered their actions to  
influence him.

The result is a salarian who is not as simple as portrayed in the media.

Salarian Councilors have a stigma attached to them – specifically, that they never simply represent themselves. They are either STG plants, mouthpieces for one of the SIX, or outright spies.

Valern, from what we have found, is not truly any of these things.

He is 'former STG.' He certainly makes reports directly to them, and speaks to the STG Master on a regular basis. He frequently meets with each of the Dalatrasses and spouts the accepted SIX talking points. But he is not _compromised_ to the point of some of his predecessors. His rhetoric is not one of a divisive spy playing the asari and turians against each other, but a constant theme of _unity_ of all things.

This is highly atypical of _any_ Councilor, let alone a salarian.

For the most part, he tends to vote with the asari on most occasions, but is not averse to siding against their longtime allies. He has, since his appointment, been a mediator and appears to enjoy that role. The cynic will likely suspect that he is playing both sides, or bending legislation to benefit the SIX.

He is obviously attempting to ensure the SIX and salarians benefit. That is not a mark against him. What _is_ notable is his clear dedication to galactic stability. That is the lens through which he views the issues – a notably galactic view as opposed to localized. He uses his influence to moderate legislation to make it more palatable to one side or the other, even if it ultimately fails a portion of the time.

This largely moderate stance has caused friction and frustration with his colleagues, who struggle to accurately identify him or what he stands for. They are so used to Salarian Councilors being pawns of someone else that it makes him unpredictable, and thus, makes him more suspicious in their eyes.

But Valern – for now – is surprisingly independent, and appears to want to stay that way.

**MALLEABILITY**: Valern is not malleable whatsoever. The salarian is exceptionally good at making sure there is little to nothing which can be used against him. Every single file relating to his time in the STG has been scuttled to secure servers in the RRC with a daemon personally designed by one of the League of Zero watching over it.

He does not keep in contact with his family, and only maintains professional relationships on and beyond the Citadel. Nor would such relationships work as pressure points if such were to be considered. Again, Valern was a largely successful STG operative, and was a senior advisor in the Ministry of Intelligence. We are certain he is resistant to physical and psychological interrogation techniques, intimidation, blackmail, and most forms of coercion.

Additionally, his close association with Wheel Priests, SPECTREs, the STG Master, and _all_ Dalatrasses of the SIX, make him untouchable from almost any angle. His views on the Shadow Broker and the Broker Network are mixed. He is deeply suspicious of the Network and the enigmatic individual who manages it, but has thus far sanctioned it as a necessary evil.

However, to date, he has not personally taken or ordered another to purchase or otherwise obtain information from the Network. He likely suspects it would compromise him, and we do not expect this attitude to change in the future.

**STAFF OF NOTE – BRALI VANN**: We have identified approximately sixty-seven percent of Valern's staff as active STG agents. The most important is Brali Vann, who officially holds the position of 'Appointed Council Intelligence Analyst of the SIX.' Everyone who is even somewhat intelligent knows that he is a plant, but it is always uncertain if the individual is a proxy of the SIX or the STG Master.

From our observations, it is the latter.

Normally, the STG aspect is downplayed, and this isn't as notable a position under most Salarian Councilors. Under Valern, Vann has become one of his most frequent and trusted advisors. Most STG agents in this position are typically newer analysts and operatives of limited worth. Vann is a seasoned STG operative who has primarily operated in the Terminus Systems.

He is critical for providing Valern with the most up-to-date intelligence directly from the desk of the STG Master, and through Vann, he has a direct line to the enigmatic salarian mastermind. Through Vann, Valern also has some degree of authority to request operations of his own. We know he has utilized this resource several times, usually deniable intelligence gathering operations, primarily against the batarians, but sometimes involving bizarre operations deep within the Citadel or to unnamed and uninhabited water worlds unheard of before.

His usage of the STG warrants some further investigation.

**STAFF OF NOTE – ALARN WARALL**: Initially, we were unsure of the importance of this particular salarian. We knew he was not STG or one of the SIX, nor was he necessarily high-ranking in Valern's staff. Nonetheless, there was something which was noted as profoundly _unsettling_ about him.

He is very tall, even for salarians, extremely gaunt, barely speaks, and at the same time, moves with an uncanny grace which is best described as _unnatural_. His duties seem confined to sitting in front of a screen and reading. Initially, we believed he didn't sleep, as he arrived hours before all other staff, and usually left long after. We have confirmed that he receives approximately two hours of sleep each day – not one second more. It's as if he's running on clockwork.

Every week, he compiles whatever he does into a document and personally presents it to Valern – who acknowledges him – before Warall goes back to his dead-eyed job of mysterious reading. It took some time to determine the significance of this individual, but after weeks of observation, on a whim, we compared it to other individuals with noted 'odd' patterns.

The pieces eventually came together. We can state with high confidence that Alarn Warall is a proxy of the League of Zero. We do not know if he is aware of this or not, but his behavior matches with all other identified League puppets. I suppose it should not be surprising that they have an interest in assisting one of the most powerful salarians in the galaxy, but the fact that one is so close to Citadel secrets would not make his colleagues comfortable.

It is still an open question on _what_ exactly this League puppet is doing for Valern. Investigative operations into his operation have been suspended until further notice and direct approval by the Shadow Broker.

**STAFF OF NOTE – 'XIVU'**: A salarian of little note among Valern's staff is the robed Wheel Priest known as 'Xivu.' Following the tradition of only going by single-word names, there is little officially known about Xivu other than he is a Wheel Priest, he is fairly young, and he deliberately stays out of the spotlight.

Most of the _staff_ is unaware that the Wheel Priest is in fact part of their team, and is also one of the most important advisors to Valern. No matter where Valern goes, Xivu is not far behind. He attends all meetings when allowed, sits through all public debates and events, and never once says a word.

As far as most of the galaxy is concerned, he only speaks to Valern.

Each of their consultations are in a room almost completely devoid of electronic devices, and Valern personally scans the room for listening devices and other surveillance equipment. We believe he has even set up an EMP generator, along with a drone that projects white noise inside. He is paranoid to a fault, and as a result, we have no information on what his discussions with Xivu entail.

Xivu is not the only Wheel Priest Valern speaks with – he speaks with quite a few – but Xivu is definitely the one he spends the most time with. He never leaves the meetings in a good mood either, and is best described as 'unsettled.' He tends to either throw himself into work, or go to the shooting range after each meeting with Xivu.

It is also unclear how Xivu is shaping his policies and having an impact on his voting. It is reasonable to assume that Xivu is having _an_ impact, but to what extent is unknown and without knowing more details on what is being discussed, nearly impossible to determine. It is RECOMMENDED that efforts be undertaken to determine to what degree Valern is being influenced by Xivu, and more importantly, what they are speaking about.

* * *

**COUNCILOR: TARREN SPARATUS**

**SPECIES**: Turian

**AGE**: 46

**BIOGRAPHY**: For better or worse, if there is a Councilor the average galactic citizen has heard of, Tarren Sparatus is likely the one.

Usually for negative reasons.

For reasons which defy current understanding, it appears that every single individual on the Council and the media has criminally underestimated how utterly _dangerous_ this particular turian is. He is more likely to be treated as a joke or viewed in a patronizing light, highlighting his outbursts and humorous reactions than critically examining who Sparatus _is_.

To put this as simply as possible – Tarren Sparatus is far more politically savvy and intelligent than anyone will give him credit for. Even the _salarians_ tend to roll their eyes when they hear his name, and he is certainly not considered a political mastermind – or really anyone to concern oneself with.

Sparatus had a typical turian childhood until he was tapped at a very young age to be covertly recruited for the Deathwatch. Yes, the Deathwatch, which is the most dishonorable, un-turian, alien branch of the entire Hierarchy. The fact that no one appears to consider this significant – and hilariously, considers Sparatus to be a _stereotype_ of a typical turian – belies an utter lack of knowledge as to what the Deathwatch is, or worse, they know, but don't _understand_.

Sparatus _cannot_ be judged as a 'normal' turian.

Deathwatch turians _are not normal turians_.

To provide a short recap for the unaware, the Deathwatch were originally conceptualized as the Hierarchy's answer to threats such as the STG and Nightwind. Honor was a hindrance, and so they found a way to justify one of the blackest operations units in the galaxy. They were used to police cabals, suppress rebellions, perform false flags, and extend the power and reach of the Hierarchy by any means necessary.

After some time, they were 'integrated' into the Turian military and have been largely treated as a more extreme special forces unit. A more 'honorable' unit. Privately, the true Deathwatch is just as brutal and dark as the Nightwind, composed of turian orphans raised from birth to be killers.

It is commonly accepted that Sparatus came from the public face of the Deathwatch – the Determinance. The problem with this is that Sparatus was, until his appointment to Councilor, a general of the Deathwatch. There is deliberate misunderstanding as to what that actually translates to in the command structure of the Deathwatch.

The idea that the Determinance is considered 'clean' is also laughably naïve. No one in the Deathwatch has their claws clean.

The true rank is 'Commander,' and commanders are placed in charge of 'Circles' of the shrouded arm of the Deathwatch – the Revengeance. Sparatus was placed in charge of a Circle of the Revengeance dedicated to 'External Unknown Threats to the Hierarchy.' This was vague and wide-ranging for a reason, and the operations they conducted are not as important as Sparatus's actions.

He did far more than just plan the operations. He was in charge of abduction ('recruitment'), developing training regimes, and planning and signing off on operations (which consisted of false flags, preemptive rebellion suppression, assassinations, and terrorism). Sparatus was heavily involved in the darkest aspects of the Deathwatch and more than once, personally participated in operations.

I will once more remind you that this _man is currently a sitting Councilor_.

It's unlikely that even Valern has the kind of history Sparatus does.

I should also note that Sparatus was directly selected after a Council of Woe was convened, which means the Palavanus appear to be _expecting_ the need for a man like this to be in a position of power. That should raise some concerns, especially since in previous times when Deathwatch operatives have been nominated, they were _not_ commanders, but strictly of the Determinance to present a 'clean' profile.

It remains baffling that more attention has not been given to him over this piece of backstory, especially by the STG. Granted, information on the Deathwatch is highly secretive, and it _is_ likely that most governments are tangibly aware that Sparatus was more involved in the unit than he lets on.

But it isn't like there is _nothing_ known about the Deathwatch.

Baffling.

What concerns me is that Sparatus portrays himself as distinctly _not Deathwatch_. He's irritable, he's blunt, he's sarcastic, he's bombastic. He is skeptical of his true reach and influence. He dislikes manipulations by the asari and salarians. He has a high opinion of military solutions and little patience for long drawn-out negotiations. He fits the jingoistic turian warlord stereotype _perfectly_.

This simply does not _fit_ with what we know about him.

He is not putting on an act – not fully. I can say this with some certainty, but it would not be a stretch to believe that he is exaggerating certain aspects of his personality to present himself as more harmless. We know he is not thrilled with his position, is highly suspicious of aliens, and _does_ indeed prefer hard and blunt solutions to the long-term options often proposed by the latter two Councilors.

But he is someone who is clearly observing and turning the situation to his advantage. He _knows_ what he is doing, and Valern and Tevos are reacting _exactly_ how he expects. I don't fully know what he is planning or intending, as neither the turian voice on the Council, nor their fortunes, have necessarily _changed_ since he was appointed, but he is in far more control than he appears.

It is also worth noting that Sparatus was instrumental in the expansion of the Council itself. We do not know if he is going to exercise some more complex political acumen, or if he merely saw an opportunity and took it. His actions in the future should be watched _extremely closely_, for the reasons described, and due to who he surrounds himself with.

**MALLEABILITY**: Attempting to manipulate Tarren Sparatus is not advised.

For most individuals, what we have uncovered would be enough to ensure future compliance. We estimate that the likelihood of successfully blackmailing Sparatus is low, and would result in the Hierarchy becoming an overnight enemy of the Broker Network. At this time, we do not judge that as a desired outcome.

Sparatus has doubtless prepared contingencies. He is not stupid, and knows that we – or perhaps other entities – have learned of his past. He is assuming that the disruption would be too costly, or they lack hard proof. To some degree he is relying on fear. Laying such an accusation upon the sitting Turian Councilor would be seen as such an affront to not only _his_ honor, but that of the species – such accusations could split the Council or lead to war.

No one wants to risk that – unless for some reason we determine the Council must be split.

It is very likely that Sparatus is keeping in contact with not only the Deathwatch, but every other black operation the Hierarchy and Palavanus are involved in. Sparatus is deeply connected to the halls of power within the Hierarchy, and isn't quite the disillusioned diplomat he leads people to believe.

Other forms of coercion have also been judged to have negative impacts. Until we want to make the Hierarchy our enemy or otherwise determine a path to his negation, he should be left alone and closely observed.

**STAFF OF NOTE – REGIL VOREAL**: This turian could be categorized as Sparatus's 'chief bodyguard,' which is largely unnecessary as, while he doesn't flaunt it, Sparatus remains a dangerous soldier on his own. Voreal is thus someone who could be considered unnecessary and filling a formality.

The issue with this assumption is that he doesn't manage a team of bodyguards, but he is one of a special circle of Blackwatch who are assigned to the Citadel (please review the section on the turian embassy for more information), specifically assigned to whoever the Turian Councilor is at the time. They function as a mixture of hit squad, cleanup crew, or otherwise strike force the Councilor can use at will.

As such, Voreal is a very dangerous individual. To date, Sparatus has not directly used this force for political situations. They _did_ however fight during the Battle of the Citadel where Sparatus and Voreal fought together to reach the turian embassy, racking up a large kill count along the way.

**STAFF OF NOTE – NARX TALID**: Narx can be best described as Sparatus's 'political advisor,' as far as politics relating to the Hierarchy goes. As part of the Talid Family, he is well-connected to many of the families back on Palavan, and is the main point of contact if they wish to pass along information to, or speak with, the Councilor.

Narx is responsible for aggregating all of the incoming requests, prioritizing them, and presenting them to Sparatus. He is apparently very efficient and has played a major role in ensuring that Sparatus has good relations with the families of the Hierarchy.

**STAFF OF NOTE – XELLIS PALAVANUS**: This should, for obvious reasons, be one of the most alarming individuals on his staff. Xellis Palavanus has been with Sparatus since his appointment to the Council, and to the best of our knowledge, she serves as both an advisor specializing in aliens _and_ his direct line to the Palavanus.

It is unknown how much sway she has over him, and based on Palavanus interaction in the past, we can say with some confidence that she _is_ an advisor and doesn't consider Sparatus a direct pawn. Nonetheless, Sparatus is very likely taking her advice when it comes to most matters (especially when they relate to aliens).

Xellis holds degrees in xenopsychology, specifically specializing in asari and salarians. Though holding no 'official' position, her name has come up on internal Palavanus documents which directly relate to appropriately predicting, reacting, and responding to the respective species.

She spends her free time in the human and asari embassies, not disclosing her Palavanus name, discussing the respective cultures and engaging in some light debate. We remain unsure if she is engaging out of academic curiosity or acting as a spy for the Palavanus. Knowing them, the answer is likely both.

Observation is RECOMMENDED.

* * *

**COUNCILOR: DONNEL UDINA**

**SPECIES**: Human

**AGE**: 57

**BIOGRAPHY**: It is quite curious that of all the Councilors who are currently sitting, it is the human who is the most 'normal' from nearly any standpoint. Donnel Udina has developed something of a reputation in his stint as humanity's Ambassador, and it wasn't a surprise that he was elevated to the position.

He is someone whom very few like, but whom many maintain a professional respect for. He is someone who has a sharp and irritable personality, but will be the hardest worker in the room. He is someone who will berate, insult, and push you to your limits, but also remain your staunchest ally when it really matters.

Interestingly enough, Udina is somewhat 'clean' when it comes to background. His family is very minor, and Udina rarely talks about them, though a review of personal notes he keeps indicate someone who saw acquiring this position as securing the future for his family and potential elevation down the line.

He was able to pass the grueling process by which he was selected for Ambassador to the Citadel, and has served faithfully in executing the will of the High Lords ever since. He is possessive of something of an independent streak, and developed an interestingly supportive relationship with the late Sara Shepard.

It is not completely clear how Udina views the balance between his work and the will of the High Lords. Most of the time there is overlap, but Udina has signaled a willingness to ignore political expedients and experience if it is something he feels strongly about – again connecting to Sara Shepard.

With her death, Udina has reverted to his previous self, largely sticking to the High Lords lines and orders. It is unlikely there was any direct threat of coercion, Udina is _very_ aware of how political games are played, and likely saw Shepard as a buffer who no longer exists, and thus, self-preservation is in order.

Nonetheless, he is a surprisingly pragmatic (if human-focused) member of the Council who takes his role seriously, and will likely remain in his position for the foreseeable future.

**MALLEABILITY**: Dealing with Udina would be a simple matter of ensuring he falls out of favor with the High Lords. Depending on how an operation was conducted, it could force one or more of the High Lords to take action, and that is all that would be needed. The High Lords _do not_ see him as replaceable, despite whatever perception Udina may have.

As far as personally, Udina has effectively nothing in his background which could be used against him, except for the fact that he has more than once yelled very harshly at his staff for various reasons, often with colorful language. While not the most professional of conduct, a scandal of that minute nature would be insufficient to force an acknowledgement, let alone a resignation.

Additionally, it is possible that the High Lords would recognize outside manipulation, and move to counter the Broker Network as a result. Tampering with Udina is more viable than most of the other Councilors, but it is not necessarily advised unless Udina becomes a threat which cannot be ignored.

**STAFF OF NOTE – ANGELA SOEL**: Angela is Udina's designated Chief of Staff, the woman responsible for managing his exceptionally busy schedule, contacts, and much of his lower staff. Outside the nobility, she was someone who actually worked her way up the ranks of Udina's staff, culminating in her promotion after his appointment to Councilor (and after the previous Chief of Staff died in the Battle of the Citadel).

Despite her lack of noble upbringing, she has nonetheless caught onto much of the formalities and ceremony that comes with the position, so much so that not even nobles seem to notice that she's not one of them. She is slightly older than is typical for the position – just past her fifties – but she makes up for it by being extremely skilled at her job, and it is unlikely Udina would be nearly as managed without her.

**STAFF OF NOTE – MARVIN COLEMAN**: Marvin is the official voice of the High Lords of Sol directly appointed to serve as an advisor to Udina. By 'advise,' this of course means 'order.' While the High Lords rarely give direct orders through Marvin, he is still consulted on all major matters by Udina.

Of interest is that Marvin is not especially interested in his job, preferring instead to spend his time falling into escapades on the Citadel, spending nights in clubs and bars, and generally acting like a delinquent. He is smart enough to moderate himself and keep his identity under wraps, but he carries out his job with a hurried distaste, much preferring to be enjoying himself.

It is unknown just how much of this the High Lords know, as Udina is not telling them though he likely knows. Udina is more than happy to be dealing with a young noble sent on an assignment he doesn't want, whom he can push, bore, and effectively use to gain just a little bit more flexibility in his legislative duties.

We believe that Marvin is due to be replaced in the next six months to a year. The candidates to replace him are currently being decided by the High Lords.

* * *

**COUNCILOR: THIN'KORIS GIL KORIS VAS _QWIB-QWIB_** **NAR _RAYYA_**

**SPECIES**: Quarian

**AGE**: 41

**BIOGRAPHY**: Through either accident or sheer luck, the Admiralty nominated someone who could be considered the only real politician in the Migrant Fleet – or at least a politician who would actually serve them well.

To call Thin'Koris a mere politician is doing him a disservice.

He is not a typical quarian by any stretch of the imagination. While he lacks the brutal secrecy of someone like Sparatus, or the credentials of a former spy like Valern, he makes up for it in being distinctly _dangerous_ for a quarian in a way very few are. It would be a mistake to label him as 'emotionless,' but he is completely _self-controlled_.

He speaks in a quiet voice. He never yells. He will listen far more than he speaks. He is more than content to let someone else act before he does. He is excessively polite. This is off-putting to some people as Thin'Koris has never once lost his temper or engaged in anything other than a reasonable tone.

His background provides some insight into who this quarian is.

Most casual observers will note that he was part of the Migrant Fleet Marines, and rose through the ranks despite lacking familial connections. It was _solely_ through merit. So the question becomes why the Admiralty decided to nominate a well-recognized Fleet Marine instead of a Fleet captain or even one of the Admiralty?

It is because Thin'Koris was _not_ just a standard Fleet Marine – he held a role that was diplomat, hostage negotiator, and interrogator all in one job. It isn't _that_ uncommon for quarians to get captured and ransomed to the Fleet, nor necessarily for portions of the Fleet to be attacked by overindulgent pirates.

Whenever there was a crisis that needed talking, Thin'Koris was sent to solve it.

He is a natural social savant, able to successfully read, determine, and react to how individuals talk, use body language, and other non-verbal indicators. He has more than once talked down pirates into releasing hostages, negotiated agreements with businesses and planets, and extracted information from captives by sitting down in a room and pretending to be their friend.

There is some irony in the fact that Thin'Koris dislikes violence (unless the target is geth) and appears to truly believe that _any_ issue can be worked out via talking. He doesn't hold grudges, has an oddly optimistic worldview (do not mistake this for naïveté), and seems intent on making positive change when he can do so.

None of this applies to the geth, which he loathes with a passion – he is intent on uniting the Council against them and stamping them out once and for all. Unlike certain academic contemporaries and ethicists, he does not consider the geth alive, intelligent, or worthy of the same courtesies he would extend to most everyone else.

However, Thin'Koris should not be considered as the 'good' one of the Council from a moral standpoint. In addition to his duties as Councilor, he maintains a _significant_ number of connections to business officials, pirate groups, mercenaries, and quarian exiles and criminals all over the galaxy, most from his days in the Fleet.

His relationships with quarian exiles are particularly curious, as most quarians prefer to ignore them or pretend they don't exist. Thin'Koris on the other hand, not only keeps in contact, but actively supplies them with credits, food, and other necessities if they're having difficulties. He is an opponent of exile, and believes the practice is cruel and self-destructive. The exiles do not always acknowledge this, but he makes the effort regardless.

Admittedly, his solution to exile was more punitive or _permanent _punishments, such as execution.

No one is perfect.

What is disturbing about his exile contacts is that they include individuals like Golo – one of the most notorious criminals in Fleet history – who also works for Aria. It is unknown _why_ the Admiralty is seemingly fine with their Councilor actively maintaining these links, but it remains likely that even the Admiralty is not above potentially using criminals and terrorists if it suits their interests.

**MALLEABILITY**: Thin'Koris has a very distinct pressure point – his sole daughter. His wife and five of his children were killed in geth attacks, leaving him the sole parent of a daughter whose age is approaching Pilgrimage – something he _adamantly_ does not want her to undertake. There are several opportunities here.

The first is direct or indirect harm. It is possible Thin'Koris would succumb to such pressure, though the risk that he would request assistance from the Admiralty or take matters into his own hands is high. A more reliable method of coercion would be to ensure that his daughter does not have to go on the Pilgrimage, or if she _does_, her protection is assured.

Placing Thin'Koris in the debt of the Broker Network would help organically establish a rapport and enable future usage with a high degree of success. Working to help the quarians in various ways would also build the Network in his eyes. This would be a high-investment process over a long period, but we estimate the returns could more than pay for it.

Alternatively, Thin'Koris is doubtless aware of the truth of Rannoch and the history of the Geth Uprising. This would significantly damage the standing of the quarians with the rest of the galaxy, let alone the Council. With the quarians just now beginning to rebuild their reputation, the threat of ensuring it crashes down could be _significant__._

**STAFF OF NOTE – NONE**: Thin'Koris is still working out the majority of his staff, all of which have been heavily fluctuating. It is unlikely a permanent staff will be in place for at least the next six months. It is also uncertain how much a staff would be relevant, as Thin'Koris consults the Admiralty on a daily to weekly basis and appears to have no issues managing his own schedule. As he settles more into his duties, this may change.

This section will be updated when pertinent information is acquired.

* * *

**RACIAL EMBASSIES : OVERVIEW**

While most species are known through the Councilors, an arguably superior look into the minds, goals, and aspirations of aliens is through the racial embassies. These serve several purposes. Every species who is a part of the Citadel has them, which include the five Council races – asari, salarians, turians, humans, and quarians – along with the member races – volus and elcor.

Previously the batarians maintained an embassy, but it was shuttered after they withdrew. The hanar, drell, and vorcha do not have embassies, though there has been discussion on granting the sizable hanar population _somewhere_ to set up. This is still ongoing, and is low on the priority list, nor is it something the hanar are particularly pushing for.

The embassies are specially designed, maintained, staffed, and handled _very_ differently from each other. None of them have the same kind of look or feel as the others, and genuinely are an attempt to portray their species in the best possible light – along with executing other goals as determined by the governments in question.

While each embassy does include diplomatic arms that they operate out of, the true diplomatic functions are typically hosted elsewhere as diplomacy is _not_ necessarily the point of the embassies. As such, diplomatic functions will be referred to in passing or if the diplomatic service attached to the embassy is an important focus or unique in some way.

Each embassy will be described below.

**RACIAL EMBASSIES : ASARI**

**CHIEF DIPLOMAT**: Irissa Te'Shora

**INTERNAL METHODOLOGY**: The asari embassy is a place which is best described as '_welcoming_,' with designs reminiscent of famous asari landmarks on Thessia – with curves and colors of teal and silver. Likewise, each aspect of the embassy from an organizational standpoint is to ensure a feeling of comfort and welcome for any potential visitors. Each embassy has their own target demographic – for the asari, that is alien citizens.

The asari are primarily interested first and foremost in drawing aliens into the Republic, and the way they prefer to accomplish this is through a personal connection and showing their potential immigrants exactly what is most appealing to them. There is a fully trained staff of over fifty who do nothing each day but sit and talk with aliens – typically, multiple meetings over weeks – for the sole purpose of convincing them to join the Republic.

They do their best to tailor the experience to be as appealing as possible. They keep alien food stocked and hire local alien chefs to cook classic dishes of alien species – but with asari twists. That is an apt metaphor for how the asari appeal to aliens in their embassy, they show them the familiar, but with a distinct asari flavor – a subtle indication that the asari have taken something the individual is familiar with – and made it superior.

A rather powerful method also used is that a majority of the ambassadors in the embassy are aliens themselves. Effectively a 55/45 split of alien and asari. The aliens are primarily humans, but there are salarians, turians, and even a volus. It is something of a bizarre experience to see these aliens dressed in the colors of the asari and enthusiastically praising how great the asari are.

As a result, it is the highest-rated embassy by visitors, and asari internal numbers show that approximately five to ten percent of yearly foot traffic will eventually immigrate to the Republic within one to two years. It is considered one of the most successful endeavors of the Republic, and there is a _reason_ every single government explicitly forbids their people and military from stepping foot in the embassy.

The asari are very good at what they are doing here.

**INTERNAL STRUCTURE**:

Republican Diplomatic Service: The primary arm of the asari embassy, the Republican Diplomatic Service (RDS) is the dedicated embassy arm of the asari. It is unique, as mentioned above, because it employs a majority alien staff. Make no mistake – the management is strictly asari – but they are more than willing to employ aliens when they see the benefit, and there is no shortage of applicants.

The asari would have most people who enter think the entire process is organic – you speak to a receptionist who tells you to wait, and then a few minutes later someone will come and speak to you. Or maybe you just want to look at the pieces of asari art on display or read some of their history at the terminals, and are later approached by a friendly employee.

Please. The receptionists are trained xenopsychologists with several centuries in reading body language and initial psychoanalysis. They make swift judgments about the individual and pair them with an appropriate ambassador whom they judge will most connect with them. All ambassadors are also extensively trained in the art of marketing, psychology, and body language.

The obvious question here is how deep the Discerning are involved. The answer appears to be very little. There is likely one or two Discerning who assist in the management of the RDS, but none of the ambassadors appear to be part of them. This is not completely surprising, as this typically falls under their purview, even if it would make sense for them to be involved.

Processing and Management: One of the smaller departments of the embassy is Processing and Management, which is typically responsible for beginning the many, many stacks of paperwork which are needed to properly immigrate to the Asari Republic. These are a small group of asari who are _exceptionally_ knowledgeable about not just asari regulation, but almost all Citadel races.

They maintain profiles on _every single person_ who enters the embassy, and begin preliminary paperwork for them – an optimistic outlook to be sure, and they are the hidden hand throughout the process of helping an alien emigrate. Their job is to make the life of the immigrant as easy as possible and to provide an excellent first impression.

It is a high-stress, high volume job which few asari can do for very long. The turnover rate is very high, but asari are compensated by excellent pay and the ability to easily transfer to almost any other position they wish on the Citadel soon after.

Customs and Legal: While most embassies would group the lawyers together with the team that does the paperwork, the asari instead have Customs and Legal – the stated legal team of the embassy as their own dedicated department. This is presumably to ensure the process doesn't get overly bogged down, and the lawyers are sharp and can be adequately deployed.

If that is their goal, it has succeeded many times over.

Customs and Legal is considered one of the most ruthless, effective, and powerful law groups in Citadel Space. You would be hard-pressed to find a better immigration representative than one of these asari. They know immigration law better than most immigration specialists of the opposing species – as well as the accompanying loopholes.

Their _only_ directive is to ensure that their clients are able to immigrate to the Asari Republic, and there is almost no law which can stand under their scrutiny. When the Systems Alliance courts once tried to keep a family from emigrating, citing 'security concerns and coercion,' Customs and Legal not only won the case _in the Alliance's own court_, but extracted thousands of credits in compensation for a sustained and unwarranted legal battle and harassment campaign.

Most governments play nice with Customs and Legal as a result. It is best to not earn their ire.

**INTERNAL SECURITY**: Standard, but subtle.

The asari have some security, but it is largely automated, as they determined that the presence of visible armed guards puts potential visitors on guard, and goes against the welcoming and safe atmosphere they strive to provide. There is not a single weapon, camera, or security device in sight beyond omni-tools and computers.

Cameras are established, of course, though disguised and hidden in compartments, and there are hidden dispensers in the ceiling which can be outfitted for various types of chemicals, but usually only sleeping gas is installed. Every ambassador carries a portable breather in case this happens, though none carry weapons themselves – even if most are trained in self-defense, and all asari are moderately trained biotics.

The one exception to this outwardly demilitarized zone is the presence of a justicar. Justicars rotate through the embassy every three months, and even they are selected to present a 'softer' side to the infamous order. They never wear armor, are generally more open and willing to talk, and don't carry their weapons on the premises.

But this is a _justicar_ and they never forget their duties. They are part of the embassy for a reason, and they technically operate in asari territory. Deep within the embassy there is a holding cell, and more than once has the justicar gone hunting in the night and returned with a target who is securely in asari territory.

There is a question on if the asari are exploiting their embassy for the Justicar Order, but if there is anyone who has taken notice, no one has made any comments. Unless the justicar in question goes after someone well-connected, it is unlikely many will complain. And considering how many species use their embassies as fronts for far more nefarious efforts, there is ample ammunition for the asari to defend themselves if it ever comes up.

**RACIAL EMBASSIES : SALARIAN**

**CHIEF DIPLOMAT**: Dalaarn Altus

**INTERNAL METHODOLOGY**: Of all the embassies on the Citadel, one of the least visited is the salarian embassy. Officially, there is no reason for this. The building is well-maintained and distinctly salarian in architecture and design, the staff are friendly and professional, and the Chief Diplomat regularly interacts with his counterparts.

Unofficially, the reasons are quite simple.

The salarian embassy, as it is so named, is effectively a hub for the STG right in the middle of the Citadel. The embassy is much, much larger than what the schematics show, with tunnels and corridors reaching far beyond into stores, alleys, and other nondescript places which are all closely controlled and monitored by the STG.

The STG runs one of the largest spy rings on the Citadel _directly_ from their embassy, and quite often collect surveillance on figures of interest to the SIX, STG, and Salarian Union as a whole. Their directive is primarily surveillance and reconnaissance, and rarely do they perform direct action such as assault, kidnapping, or assassination.

They have no interest in facilitating typical embassy duties, and have only the most basic attempts to showcase salarian culture and life to guests. It isn't quite an afterthought, but neither is it a priority. They consider anyone who enters the embassy as a potential spy, and during the course of a visit they will be bugged, their extranet accounts hacked, and their life poured over by a League of Zero meat puppet before they ultimately leave, not knowing they're on an internal STG list for the rest of their lives.

The salarians host no diplomats, hold no meetings, or conduct _any_ kind of diplomatic duties in their embassy. Those are referred to External Services in the core Union territories. Their motives purely center around managing the largest and most secretive spy ring on the Citadel, and all attempts to penetrate it have been dealt with extreme prejudice.

**INTERNAL STRUCTURE**:

STG Citadel Cell: This is, simply put, the amalgamation of STG operatives who are assigned to the Citadel. All of them operate within the Citadel Cell within the salarian embassy, and from what we have learned, are primarily field officers. Their duties can break down into several roles. None of them are recognizable and have potentially undergone facial reconstruction, and all are plainclothes operatives.

They appear to perform a few distinct missions. The first is RECON, where STG agents explore areas of the Citadel, make notes for future operations, and return. This is not as simple as it sounds, as RECON operatives are tasked with exploring other embassies, the Citadel Council Chambers, the Archives, and other areas of the Citadel which are difficult to enter.

SURVEILLANCE operatives are tasked with following or observing a specific person or group of persons. This can include breaking into their places of residence, planting bugs, and hacking into their devices. There are effectively no limitations on what the operative can do so long as there is plausible deniability.

ESTABLISHMENT operatives are tasked with building and maintaining massive nets of sources all over the Citadel, from C-Sec officers, to tourists, to shopkeepers, to janitors. No source is considered too small, and it is estimated that some ESTABLISHMENT operatives have _hundreds_ of sources who in turn have hundreds more sources to draw upon.

We are currently trying to determine the extent of salarian civilian contact webs.

Finally, there are REMOVAL operatives, which is not _as_ nefarious as it sounds. REMOVAL is typically referring to the extraction of targets (usually sources, devices, or artifacts) to safety. Sometimes this does include the swift and clean removal of an enemy, but this is exceptionally rare, and typically only applies to criminal elements.

Citadel Union STG Command: As the operatives are the hands of the STG, Citadel Union STG Command is who manages them. We believe that who they receive their orders from depends on the priorities of the STG Master. It is the STG Master who holds ultimate sway over the cell, but the STG Master often has other priorities and rarely gives direct input outside of overarching directives.

As a result, the one who is truly in charge is one of the League of Zero.

We are uncertain if there is a _true_ League AI in charge, or if they are operating through one of their meat puppets, but the fact remains that it is the League who manages the day-to-day operations of the cell. This makes sense in retrospect, as only an AI could manage an operation this extensive with this number of resources.

Something we have considered is how deeply the League controls the cell, but we have not made a conclusive determination. We have been acting on the assumption that the STG is working in conjunction with the League here, but there remains a possibility that _every_ salarian is, in fact, a League puppet. We know that the League can subtly control individuals with no outward indicators, and thus cannot discount this theory entirely.

If it is accurate, it would make the salarian embassy _far_ more dangerous than we believe – and pose a significant biohazard risk to the station. However, this risk is an indicator that the League may restrain itself. The League knows that their exposure – which they must suspect some are aware of – would result in significant damage to the Union, and may not take unnecessary risks as a result.

This should be IMMEDIATELY VERIFIED.

The League cannot be allowed to propagate without the Network being aware.

**INTERNAL SECURITY**: Concerning.

I don't think even the turians have their embassy as rigged as the salarians do. There is little outward security. There are a couple Shieldbreakers who stand guard, but internally, there is surprisingly little. Of course, every salarian inside is armed with top-of-the line weapons, and hidden auto-turrets just wait for someone to make the wrong move.

Hidden cameras blanket the embassy from every angle – internal and external – all connected to a box which is directly managed by the League that draws upon a vast database of facial recognition software that somehow has a direct line to the official C-Sec database. Dozens of omni-drones are on standby to be deployed, also managed by the League, and there is a small army of LOKI mechs in hidden compartments and in the tunnels below, managed by – you guessed it – the League.

If that wasn't enough, the embassy is _rigged with black nano_ if the managing League AI decides termination is in order. It is unknown what safeguards the salarians have put into it, but it is prudent to assume that if it has reached a point where using black nano is the _most_ viable option, then they are not concerned about collateral damage.

Something to note is that during the Battle of the Citadel, the salarian embassy didn't fall to the geth. In fact, multiple eyewitnesses claimed that when geth tried to penetrate salarian systems, they turned on their own kind. Very unfortunate that said geth were completely slagged and impossible to recover – such rumors could not be confirmed.

Whatever is being conducted in the embassy, and whatever secrets are contained, the salarians – and League – are more than willing to kill over.

**RACIAL EMBASSIES : TURIAN**

**CHIEF DIPLOMAT**: Rophal Vorn

**INTERNAL METHODOLOGY**: The question of how to adapt a militaristic culture around duty and honor to a diplomatic setting is one that would have no doubt puzzled some people who would agonize over how best to present a more palatable approach to the wider galactic community.

This was not the approach the turians took.

Instead of trying to soften themselves to the galaxy, they have made the turian embassy a raw, unfiltered snapshot of their culture. The turian embassy is officially the largest of all the embassies, and is structured and designed far differently than most. The Hierarchy designed it to act as a command post, military base, and tourist attraction, all in one.

The embassy is one of the most fortified and defended places on the Citadel. It boasts military-grade materials, has almost no glaring structural weaknesses we could find, and is better equipped than most _actual_ military bases, especially when it comes to logistics, quality, and personnel.

It should not be a surprise, then, that the turian embassy successfully fought off the geth during the Battle of the Citadel – and suffered minimal casualties. The embassy apparently kept reserve stocks of armor, and there was no shortage of weapons, and so, when people fled to the embassy, a select number of them were armed and participated in the defense.

The embassy is not just a military base; the initial areas do have some monuments, plaques, and statues of famous turians. The majority of the sections are devoted to explaining and showcasing the intricacies of the meritocracy and turian honor. There was some effort put into educating visitors, even if it doesn't appear to be the priority.

The biggest part of the embassy is that the turians have also turned it into a mixture between a business opportunity, propaganda, and tourist attraction. It is an enclosed arena where the embassy hosts military ceremonies, weapons tests, and product demonstrations from various arms manufacturers.

That part of the embassy is soundproofed, but people often report of the ground trembling or odd sounds in the air around the embassy. These people are not hearing or feeling things, they are simply experiencing the aftermath of a weapons demonstration in the arena. These events are well-advertised, and there is no shortage of companies wanting to show off to the turian brass – allowing the Hierarchy to charge a premium and pick and choose who they want.

An oddly ingenious move by the Hierarchy. It is likely this was done in conjunction with the volus, though more investigation would be needed to confirm.

**INTERNAL STRUCTURE**:

Citadel Hierarchy Garrison: While each embassy has their own means of protection, the turian embassy is the only one which has a fully dedicated garrison for its protection. This garrison _is_ notably smaller than most others, as the area defended is far smaller. Nonetheless, it makes up for its small size by being one of the most exceptional garrisons on paper.

The Hierarchy is very picky with who they assign to the garrison. Usually, only combat veterans are even given consideration, and this is cross-checked with mission success, previous promotions, service records, and age. The result is that this garrison is composed of some of the best soldiers of the Hierarchy.

This was proven during the Battle of the Citadel where the garrison was instrumental in ensuring the embassy did not fall, and were further responsible for saving dozens more lives and destroying many more geth. Please note that these are _not_ the soldiers who are visible. The Citadel Garrison is rarely seen in public in full uniform. They are a reserve force, only brought out when the Embassy Guard needs assistance.

This misdirection was likely why the geth attacked in the first place. On their own, the numbers of the Embassy Guard wouldn't have held against a sustained geth assault. Unfortunately for them, they failed to account for the Garrison – and made the mistake of assuming the Embassy Guard were composed of ordinary turians.

Citadel Embassy Guard: When people witness the armored and armed turians which patrol the embassy and stand guard outside, they see the Citadel Embassy Guard. On their own, they are intimidating and imposing, standing in their armor and keeping a close eye on the visitors, watching for any hint of danger.

Most assume they are specially assigned soldiers from the military. Ordinary soldiers with an important job.

This is not true.

Every single turian of the Embassy Guard is a special detachment of the Blackwatch which is only known to the highest levels of the Hierarchy. Despite the special designation, these are true Blackwatch soldiers who typically are rotated from standard Blackwatch operations into Embassy Guard for three to six months before rotating out. The personnel of the Embassy Guard are always changing – and are always Blackwatch soldiers fresh from the frontlines.

Before being assigned to the embassy, the Guard is given specialized training in law enforcement, observation, and signs of when to intervene. The Embassy Guard has developed something of a reputation for being willing to exercise their authority against anyone they consider suspicious. They make no apologies; if they thought it was necessary to intervene and take in an ultimately innocent traveler for questioning, that is on the traveler for acting suspicious, not them being paranoid.

As such, most people are _very_ cautious around them, something the Embassy Guard considers a case study in successful deterrence. Unsurprisingly, the Embassy Guard was instrumental in the Battle of the Citadel where they fought off numbers of geth far more numerous, and surprised the machines with their sophistication and lethality.

This has likely tipped off both the geth _and_ other racial governments that the Embassy Guard was a bit _too_ effective to be ordinary turian soldiers, but as of yet, no one has publicly or privately brought it up.

Embassy Arms Control and Demonstration: This is a small division which could be considered the 'public relations' arm of the embassy. They are responsible for setting up demonstrations for arms companies, arranging the guest lists for ceremonies, and ensuring that there are enough explosives and ordinance for state weapons tests.

Interestingly, these are _also _the turians who actually perform the Hierarchy arms tests to an enraptured audience. It is an odd mixture of bureaucracy and explosives. You often will have ordinance specialists become very good at management and PR, while you'll also have the inverse.

They are also responsible for setting embassy policy – both for the other divisions and the guests. Of all the embassies, they have ensured that theirs is the most stringent. If you're coming in with almost anything other than the clothes on your back, you're unlikely to get very far before you're escorted out.

Citadel Hierarchy Command: The ultimate authority above the turian embassy is what is known as 'Citadel Hierarchy Command,' a small group of high-ranking turians who have the final say in what goes on inside the embassy. The composition is unusually secretive; though it does not appear that there is a Palavanus as a part of it.

It would, however, be naïve to think the Palavanus are unaware or uninterested in the embassy. There is some evidence to suggest that even if there is no Palavanus on the Command, they have a direct line to them – and are giving orders. In my experience, it would be very, very unlikely that the Palavanus did not heavily influence the turian embassy.

There are too many pieces which are atypical of turian behavior and psychology. To put it bluntly, it is too _subtle_ to have come solely from the Hierarchy. Aspects like hidden garrisons, Blackwatch masquerading as simple guards, the fact that the embassy would give any military in the galaxy a headache, and so on.

Put this together with the influence the Palavanus have over Sparatus, and you see the idea that the Palavanus being 'separate' from the power centers of the turians is utter nonsense. The Palavanus have their claws all over turian diplomacy and the image they present to the galaxy. It is time we stop viewing the turians associated with the Citadel as acting as normal turians, and instead begin viewing them as if the Palavanus are making the ultimate decisions.

Because they very likely are.

**INTERNAL SECURITY**: Exhaustive and extensive.

It has been elaborated on throughout this section, so there will not be many words devoted to repeating what has already been said. The turian embassy is one of the most secure, fortified, and defended places on the entire Citadel. From the moment one steps foot inside it, there are no fewer than a half-dozen weapons which can be turned on you at any point.

You are being constantly watched, and if you make a sudden or wrong move, you can flip a coin to determine if you are shot or arrested. The turians take no chances on their security. If the Embassy Guard doesn't stop intruders, the automated defenses and armies of drones will. If those fail, the garrison stands ready.

To put this very simply – if you want to infiltrate the embassy, it is impossible. If you want to attack it, you better bring an army with you, because nothing short of one will penetrate their walls.

**RACIAL EMBASSIES : HUMAN**

**CHIEF DIPLOMAT**: Dominic Osoba

**INTERNAL METHODOLOGY**: Modest by some of the standards of other embassies, the human embassy is focused on a singular goal, and to their credit, largely executes it. Since their arrival onto the galactic stage, they have sought more influence and power, both to advance human interests and counter what they see as alien interference.

This presents something of a conundrum as to the end goal of human interests. There are several camps of thought, all of which are anti-alien to some extent. Many humans like to believe they are superior to aliens, and the human apologists will point to the speed at which they have acquired galactic influence and assimilated into galactic society with contextual breathtaking speed.

(This, admittedly, requires ignoring the blatant asari favoritism, but these are not the brightest of humans making this claim.)

The smarter humans still dislike how they are not at the 'top of the food chain,' but know that that can't be changed by acting overly superior and acting unilaterally when it comes to galactic policy and military action. Instead, the High Lords decreed that there be a focus towards cooperation. Not necessarily conceding to the alien, but showing that they could work with humans and receive benefits.

Thus, the goal of the human embassy.

It is a mixture of influence cultivation and propaganda to give aliens a softer, more agreeable version of the human race. Much of the embassy has sections devoted to human history – many of which emphasize the cooperative aspects of humanity, with people of all kinds coming together. They hilariously use defunct organizations and countries such as the United States, European Union, and the _United Nations_ as 'successful efforts by our species to come together and realize that we are far stronger together than apart.'

This, of course, culminates in the formation of the Systems Alliance (with some mind-bogglingly outrageous whitewashing of the Days of Iron), and if you believe the implication, humanity has never had issues since then and is eager to work together with their new galactic neighbors. It is _almost_ incredible just how much this misrepresents both human history and human intentions.

The most insidious part about this is that in the most technical of terms, it isn't fully _wrong_. Such entities did exist in the past, and everything is worded in such a way as it isn't _technically_ wrong, but it is highly, highly misleading. In a way, this is a perfect representation of human behavior and intentions. They are deceptive and ambitious. The asari play a dangerous game in trying to cultivate them to their ends.

In addition to the history section, there is another devoted entirely to supposedly showcasing that humanity is serious about helping the galactic community. Charities and non-profits pertaining to a variety of alien issues are highlighted, with anecdotes as to the human contribution. A cynical exploitation that is not ineffective in presenting a more palatable image to the wider galactic community.

A very interesting survey is released annually by the human embassy in conjunction with one of the most respected Citadel pollsters. It says that those who had a negative impression of the species came out with a more positive impression. Of those surveyed, over sixty percent agreed that humanity would be an ideal partner for the future. Nearly half agreed they should be considered for a Council seat.

We may consider actions like this extremely humorous due to the transparency of their propaganda, but it is also worth remembering that the average galactic citizen is shortsighted, emotionally driven, and intellectually ignorant. The human propagandists appear to know what they are doing, and surveys like this no doubt played _some_ role in the minds of the Council when they were considering the impact of elevating humanity.

**INTERNAL STRUCTURE**:

Alliance Diplomatic Service: One of the quieter parts of the embassy is the Alliance's own Diplomatic Service, which operates out of the embassy – even if it does fairly little in the day-to-day activities. Further reinforcing the narrative of 'humans are helpful,' they are charged with making diplomatic, political, and military connections across the Citadel.

The diplomats have a surprisingly far-reaching mandate and notable power to forge agreements with others. It could be as simple as scheduling a meeting with a minor turian family or acquiring a license for an alien company to perform a trial run in Alliance Space. The Diplomatic Service is a major reason why humanity was able to rise so quickly in galactic politics. The asari certainly played a role, but the Diplomatic Service _was_ in part why the integration only took forty years, and not sixty.

The High Lords apparently consider the program a success – and see a means of exploiting it further. The program is being expanded, though they will become more dangerous as a result. If the plans we acquired are accurate, the AIS is going to be seeding the ranks with their own agents.

I suspect this information could be worth something to the right people.

Alliance Embassy Guard: The Alliance does maintain a personal security guard around the embassy, though it takes a far softer approach than the turians. Alliance soldiers who stand on guard around the embassy are never in armor, but instead their dress uniforms. This is both to present a professional image, and, additionally, make them seem more inviting.

The Embassy Guard does not carry heavy weapons, and are only armed with small pistols. These visible guards are usually for show and considered disposable. The soldiers are involved in the embassy on a more personal level too. There are sometimes informal presentations where mid-ranking soldiers come in and talk about humanity, the Alliance, and the military with various guests.

However, the _internal_ Embassy Guard consists of a small number of N6 operatives commanded by an N7 who are standing by in the event of an emergency. This team was responsible for ensuring that the geth attack against the human embassy wasn't a complete massacre. The embassy still ultimately fell, but they bought time for the civilians who'd taken shelter. As a result, the Embassy Guard is one of the most respected parts of the Alliance – something they certainly intend to exploit later.

AIS Embassy Cell: Since the beginning, the AIS has operated out of the human embassy, though it appears that their mandate was less concerned with the random visitors, and more as using the embassy as a staging point for operations throughout the Citadel, much like how the STG operate.

The AIS is not completely without stake in the embassy; they have surveillance teams looking for figures of interest, but those are few and far between. Instead, the bulk of the AIS is devoted to operations beyond the embassy. What these operations are can entail the entirety of the AIS operation portfolio.

They appear to be somewhat cautious though, compared to their usual activities outside the Citadel. We do not know if they are nervous at being caught, or if there are operational reasons for their hesitance. However, this does appear to be changing. Since the elevation of humanity to the Council, and the Battle of the Citadel, there have been more sightings of known AIS agents – a number large enough that suggests their operations are greatly expanding.

With the AIS seeding the Diplomatic Service, and now this, it is likely the role the AIS has on the Citadel will be greatly increased.

**INTERNAL SECURITY**: Developed, but not exhaustive.

As stated before, the humans have a token security force standing guard and sometimes patrolling. Their ceremonial nature makes them disposable, and everyone knows it. The embassy has a surveillance system, but not a particularly sophisticated one, nor are there in-built defenses such as turrets or drone dispensers.

Since the overrunning of the embassy, there have been some changes made. The structure has been reinforced, and all doors are capable of securely locking themselves to be both force-proof and hack-proof. There was consideration of setting up self-destruct contingencies utilizing chemical weapons or black nano, but it was eventually rejected due to being 'too provocative.'

Instead, the number of internal personnel was tripled, and there now exist a couple dozen N6 operatives with multiple N7 overseers. There was a strong effort to ensure at least half of the personnel were biotics. It appears unlikely that even this new team will be able to prevent the embassy from being overrun, but like the previous time, it will extract a heavy toll.

A final note is that while much of the human embassy doesn't rely on digital or automated defenses, they have very good cybersecurity, and this is accomplished by a small team of the Silver Legion being dedicated to the defense of the embassy. Please keep this fact in mind, as the Silver Legion is very effective at what they do.

**RACIAL EMBASSIES : QUARIAN**

**CHIEF DIPLOMAT**: Alli'Choris vas _Rayya_

**INTERNAL METHODOLOGY**: This section should be considered incomplete and due for an annual reassessment as the quarian embassy is still in the stages of being developed, and could change in the near-future. The quarians were put in the position of both returning to the Citadel _and_ being a Council race all at the same time.

There is a lot of work being done as a result.

The embassy is still being worked on, and the overall direction is technically undecided, but from our observations, it does appear the quarians are focusing their embassy on dispelling some of the more slanderous and outrageous rumors that have plagued their species since being driven from Rannoch.

The true purpose is slightly more insidious.

The embassy is split into several sections, each focusing on a distinct theme or message. The first is an overview of quarian life on the Fleet, with a focus on family and putting the Fleet before personal gain. It primarily exists to show that life on the Fleet is hard, and presumably to showcase how well-off most people on the Citadel are compared to the quarians on the Fleet.

The next section is focused on the Fall of Rannoch and the entire situation surrounding it. It is not quite revisionist in the sense that it is outright false, but it is definitely designed to portray the quarians in a sympathetic light. It notably doesn't focus on the Council's role (political reasons, I'm sure), more on the emotional aftermath and how it affected the species.

The next section goes on to deal with the path the Migrant Fleet charted, with quite a bit of emphasis put towards stories which show the quarians being mistreated or otherwise the vulnerable party. It skirts the line _very close_ to being exploitative to elicit emotional reactions, but the presentation – in a more clinical academic format – negates some of the sting, as well as such stories being interspersed between a walkthrough on how the Fleet conducted business with various companies and outlying systems.

The final section would have once been controversial, though now really is not. It deals directly with the geth – and more specifically, is a massive psyop on visitors to generate anti-geth sentiment on a military level. It is filled with facts on how the geth operate, mixed in with a healthy dose of guesswork masquerading as fact (with tiny disclaimers at the bottom).

The quarians put little games in this section, like 'hacking a geth' and 'shooting geth' aimed primarily towards younger children – and no shortage of adults whose memories of the geth invasion haven't faded. The only thing that seems to be giving people pause as to not _completely_ buy what is shown is the fact that the quarians built it – who are not the most impartial of arbiters on this subject.

It's unlikely that the majority of the staff working on this knows the truth about Rannoch, but the Admiralty absolutely does, and that they continue pushing this 'official' narrative – both on the geth and the history of Rannoch – is something that could backfire one day.

**INTERNAL STRUCTURE**:

Section Design and Research: The quarians responsible for the various sections of the embassy are part of this division, which is composed of a mixture of Fleet engineers and military personnel. Positions such as historians are rare, and never the primary job of anyone in the Fleet, so any passing hobbyist was tapped for this job.

Of course, there are a number of military officers as a part of this group, and that largely explains both a notable focus on the military in some of the sections, and the push for the geth section. The division ultimately answers to the Admiralty, and they have final approval, but the designs and ideas originated with this team.

Fleet Diplomatic Service: There are two functions the Diplomatic Service has; the first is a more traditional ambassadorial role to the other races. The quarians have been proactive in trying to establish more formal relations with other racial governments. They haven't just gone to politicians either, but many media figures, public figures, and corporations. This appears to be a largely successful effort, as most are willing to give the quarians another chance, considering the sacrifices they made during the Benezia Incident.

The second function relates directly to the embassy itself. They manage scheduled tours, which are done each day, are free, and one presumably gets more context with a knowledgeable tour guide. When they are not doing tours, they are instead wandering the embassy, and chatting with visitors who have questions. They are often knowledgeable, personable, and mostly benign.

Quarian Citadel Oversight: This is a mixture of an authority organization and security team. Composed of a small number of quarians who answer directly to the Admiralty, they have control over most of the embassy functions, and can issue orders directly to the staff, having been empowered by the Admiralty.

The other arm of Citadel Oversight consists of a highly specialized security team which is capable of quick intervention and neutralization. Composed of a mixture of Fleet Marines and Techmarines, they are a formidable force. Due to some of the elements of the geth section, they continually observe it for signs – however unlikely, due to the constantly monitored and crippled nature of them  
– of a more intelligent geth  
forming.

**INTERNAL SECURITY**: Still developing.

The quarians are not lax about security. They tend to, thus far, rely on automated systems to do the heavy lifting as far as security goes, such as robust surveillance systems, auto-turrets, and drone deployment systems. However, the risks of this approach are lesser due to the exceptional cybersecurity the quarians maintain over their systems.

Both the AIS and League have attempted preliminary scans, and each one was detected and put the entire security team on alert. Both eventually backed off, and almost no one has dared try and compromise quarian embassy security. We expect this will change once the embassy becomes more established, as well as quarian security to become more sophisticated.

As mentioned above, the quarians also have a mixed team of Fleet Marines and Techmarines on standby in the event that the security systems fail. We also believe there are offensive cyber systems in place, and that the quarians are actively using them on visitors. There is no restriction on taking personal electronics into the embassy, and if there was a security risk, they would not be permitted.

Given the quarian proficiency for technology, it is likely they are not being idle. Quarian security is good, but largely digital and automated. It is capable of being subverted, though infiltration is a risky proposition at best, unless the security systems have been subverted.

**RACIAL EMBASSIES : VOLUS**

**CHIEF DIPLOMAT**: Din Korlack

**INTERNAL METHODOLOGY**: For the volus, everything is tied to markets, economics, and profit. That is what the volus live for, and it should not be a surprise that their embassy is a reflection of these priorities and beliefs. On paper, the volus embassy performs the duties that one would expect as far as diplomacy and education goes – but in practice, those are superficial dressing for what the embassy truly is.

One of the largest financial hubs on the Citadel.

The embassy is a four-story structure of the highest quality design and construction possible, which functions as a place for the financial elites of the galaxy to hang out. The first floor effectively functions as both a welcoming center and a private stock market – which is _always_ packed by bankers and investors. It effectively is another public connection to the stock market.

This is not exclusive to the first floor. No matter where you go within the volus embassy, you will be bombarded with the latest stock prices, financial news, and investment opportunities. The second floor features a complimentary restaurant which caters to every species and taste – compliments of the Vol Protectorate.

The third floor is the only one which has the financial overload somewhat muted, and instead focuses on volus culture and history. It is well-designed, exquisitely maintained, and the only floor which is fully open to the public. While it isn't the primary focus of the volus, it nonetheless was something they spared no expense in putting together.

The top floor functions as a mixture between command center and high-end fundraiser room. There are multiple spacious rooms for presentations, and companies are always clamoring for the opportunity to present in the volus embassy to an ever-interested party. The volus, of course, milk these opportunities for all their worth, charging exorbitant premiums and watching as the companies fight over who will get the spot.

The volus embassy is unique in that there are tiers of 'clients' who enter the embassy. The reason individuals in the financial sector don't all rush to the embassy is because it isn't free. In fact, it is _extremely_ expensive. Expensive enough that it would bankrupt almost anyone who is not of the financial elite.

Pay the embassy, and not only do you have access to markets which are _directly_ connected to the volus, you also have exclusive investment opportunities, exquisite food, free admission for any presentation or product showcase, and direct access to some of the greatest economic minds in the galaxy – many of whom frequently hang out at the embassy.

The other tiers are simply visitors who only see the cultural and historical sections – this is free (shocking for the volus), though they enter through a side elevator so as not to disrupt the activity on the other floors. Then there are vendors, who can advertise their products or give presentations – provided they pay the appropriate fees.

The volus embassy is one of the most lucrative projects of the Protectorate, and there is talk of expanding it further. It was the first embassy fully repaired after the Battle of the Citadel, and due to the damage of some nearby buildings, the volus are eyeing buying those properties outright. They may not expand now – but if they change their minds, they would have the space to accomplish it.

**INTERNAL STRUCTURE**:

Volus Financial Services: The lifeblood of the volus embassy is the financial elite, and this division exists to make sure that there are absolutely no issues in catering to them. Composed of some of the finest volus economists, bankers, and investors, they work non-stop, all hours of the day, to provide a service rivaling that of the main Citadel Stock Management.

They provide consulting services, manage back-end market fluctuations, and keep some of the best minds in finance on standby so they can mingle with the other financial elite who are looking for unique insights and perspectives they cannot find anywhere else. The Volus Financial Services are in charge of all of this, and also work very closely with both Corporate and Contracting Control to ensure that there are no conflicts or issues.

They also manage distribution and approval for the various entry tiers, including payment. Tickets for the third floor are also handled, though final approvals for corporations are handled by Corporate Control.

Embassy Corporate Control: If there is any corporation or entity which wishes to advertise or take advantage of the clientele of the embassy, they must first go through Embassy Corporate Control. This small division of volus is directly responsible for acquiring, reviewing, and approving each and every application submitted.

They almost never immediately agree to a proposal, instead, they review it, see how they can turn it to their advantage, and send it back. This is how they negotiate. The company will send back an agreement or revised contract. This will continue until both parties agree on a set payment, schedule, and conduct.

There are many lawyers involved, and the fact is that only large corporations have the money or time to enter into a prolonged negotiation with the volus, at least if they want to reach an appropriate settlement. Of course, there are plenty of smaller companies who are willing to take the risk of a contract heavily favoring the volus for the potential to gain new (and wealthy) customers.

Results on this appear to be mixed from the data we were able to acquire. But the volus always come out on top, and when it comes to this particular subject, that should be expected.

Embassy Contracting Control: The volus are excellent at management and cerebral matters such as finance, but they are often less affluent when it comes to providing direct services to a wider galactic clientele. Thus, contractors are often the solution, and the volus can afford to hire the very best in the business.

There are many aspects of the embassy which are hired out to contractors, most notably: all cooking, janitorial services, general maintenance, and security. All contractors are high-end, and work _exclusively_ with the volus for a minimum of three years. To make up for the exclusivity, contractors are paid exorbitant amounts, typically more than enough to stifle any potential complaints.

This does present something of a security risk, but the volus take great pains to lay their contracts with landmines that will not only ruin the individual responsible, but also the company. Thus, there is _great_ incentive for the company to not only be legitimate, but also actively police their own. Contract negotiations resemble those handled by Corporate Control, but are typically fairer to the contractor, as the volus invest more capital into performing audits, background checks, and other measures to clear before allowing them to operate inside the embassy.

Contracting Control also keeps no fewer than three redundancy contracts on standby in the event that one of their teams is unable to function. They are merciless with dissent, and when one of the janitorial teams threatened to go on strike to protest what they saw as 'unfair payment' (a curious claim considering how generous volus contracts like this are), they were replaced within _hours_ and a new team was brought on board.

The lesson to take away from this is that the volus will never let anything disrupt their embassy. Outside of events such as the Battle of the Citadel, of course.

**INTERNAL SECURITY**: Comprehensive, if unthreatening.

The volus realize that there is a potential threat to their embassy, especially one which guards a certain number of sensitive financial secrets and contains some of the financial elite. They have comprehensive surveillance systems, mostly utilizing disguised or hidden cameras to ensure the level of unease is low. Their cameras are also capable of performing facial recognition, drawing from C-Secs own database of wanted criminals.

The volus did not install automated defense systems, such as drone platforms or auto-turrets, due to concerns of collateral damage and hacking. Their cybersecurity is managed by two contracting teams, which separates the _financial_ security, and _surveillance_ security. This separation of duties is likely to reduce the risk of complete compromise. Both companies are fairly small but adept. With this said, they cannot rival nor defeat entities like the Silver Legion, let alone AIs like the League of Zero or Vigil.

Visible physical security is largely for show, though the volus would deny it. The private security companies employed don't wear armor, and instead are well-dressed bouncers that watch over patrons for any disturbances and threats. They are armed, but not heavily. They have some protection, but not much.

Good for breaking up a bar fight, not effective against a sustained assault.

This led to the embassy being quickly overrun in the Battle of the Citadel, forcing the volus to consider how best to remedy this weakness. Now there is a dedicated – if small – team of the VDF biotics who act as one of three rapid response teams that the embassy keeps on the fourth floor. The other two are also private security contractors – though these are far more heavily armed than the ones on the ground level.

Still, it is unlikely that they will fare better against actual militaries – though their ability to handle isolated or singular incidents is greatly improved.

**RACIAL EMBASSIES : ELCOR**

**CHIEF DIPLOMAT**: Calyn

**INTERNAL METHODOLOGY**: A human once described the elcor embassy to me as 'a really chill place, dude.'

It should be noted that this human was highly intoxicated, sitting in a C-Sec detention center, and in the same conversation attempted to describe the nature of the universe in slang and unique uses of the word 'dude.'

Reliability aside, his description of the elcor embassy is largely accurate.

Compared to the other embassies, it is a far smaller and quaint place. As the elcor are not a Council race, they are not as entitled to some of the same benefits or budget. But the elcor do not complain, and made the best of what they could. You would expect the embassy of droning aliens who are about as important and interesting as the odd varren to have little to no traffic or interest.

However, the elcor embassy has been consistently rated as among the most popular tourist destinations in Citadel Space, and most who go recommend it. The elcor, in a moment of some self-reflection, have seemed to realize that focusing on themselves would not draw in people, and instead focused on something more relatable – socializing.

The elcor painstakingly built their embassy to be a surprisingly popular social scene, with aliens of all species coming inside to check it out, and is more than capable of competing with the most popular nightclubs – mostly because they don't need to follow most Citadel conventions on controlled substances.

Unique fragrances (and drugs) waft through the open alcoves of the embassy, with soft lights creating a relaxing environment. The embassy keeps plenty of cooks on staff to produce a wide array of food, most of which is inspired or taken from elcor cuisine. There is no entry fee, and prices are so low that it's especially competitive with the other clubs.

Of course, this is where the actual selling point of the elcor embassy is – namely, the copious amounts of easily acquirable drugs. If there is a drug that exists, the elcor likely have it to sample. To their credit, they employ _some_ regulation – as in they strictly regulate chemical purity and the drugs won't kill you, but their substance laws are extremely _lax_, which many denizens of the Citadel take full advantage of.

This has, of course, created a black market that operates _directly_ out of the elcor embassy, with drug lords making thousands of credits in a night while C-Sec fumes from the outside, as the elcor grant anyone who does business asylum, and have been more than willing to legally protect their investments.

To their credit, the elcor do hold their dealers to the same standards, which has, to some degree, cut down on overdoses and substance-related deaths, but that is not a detail that particularly interests C-Sec. More than once has a request to shut down the embassy been submitted and subsequently rejected.

That being said, all it would take is one SPECTRE to take matters into their own hands. But truthfully, what the elcor are permitting is minor and ultimately harmless in the grand scheme of things. C-Sec will continue to complain, but they have far bigger concerns.

With that said, you can bet that every single government and military has compromised the internal security of the embassy. People are watching, and you never know just what someone might say when under the influence.

**INTERNAL STRUCTURE**:

Cultural Enrichment and Education: Despite how it was presented, the elcor _do_ have a small part of their embassy actually devoted to themselves. Apparently, individuals who are on drugs appear to be more receptive to the elcor speaking, and a good number wander over there, where they are more than happy to talk more about the elcor, their society, culture, and ecological diligence.

Notably, the elcor who are part of this division make something of an effort to be more appealing to visitors. They speak slightly faster, and have trained to put _some_ inflection (extremely limited as it is) in their voices (even as they retain their habit of stating their tones beforehand). They are all very knowledgeable, both about elcor history and culture, as well as other alien species, and use it to tailor answers.

It's almost unfortunate so little is devoted. It's easily the most authentic and useful part of the entire embassy, and is a valuable primer into how elcor view the galaxy.

Substance Procurement and Sale: There are approximately none who would rate dealing with an elcor vendor as 'enjoyable' or 'satisfactory.' However, those who find themselves in that position must deal with it or leave. The elcor in this division are responsible for both clearing vendors to sell products, and determining the items they sell themselves.

It is an incredibly slow process to be approved to sell at the embassy. The elcor are _very_, _very_ thorough – not with criminal background checks, otherwise no one could sell – but instead with endless tests on the products. The elcor take customer satisfaction and safety _very_ seriously, and if there is even a chance the product is unsafe, the vendor will not be cleared.

Thus, both the vendors (i.e., drug dealers) and elcor take this process very slow. The vendors put up with it because there are revenue streams of millions of credits on the line, and the elcor know it will draw more traffic to their embassy. In criminal circles, being accepted into the elcor embassy is seen as having 'made it.' Because those who are accepted are effectively untouchable.

It should be noted that the elcor do have some standards as far as background – they won't look twice if you've sold illegal substances for ten years, but if you were ever charged with murder or theft? Well, say goodbye to your chances, and likely say hello to C-Sec who are knocking on your door.

Policy Management and Diplomacy: The small team of elcor who manage the embassy are the ones who set the rules, manage the diplomatic aspects of the embassy, and also control the legal teams – of which there are many. The elcor almost always outsource legal duties, paying handsomely for some of the best lawyers on the Citadel – to defend drug dealers.

Many times, this is what the department manages. Most of the time these suits are dropped or settled after some weeks or months, but there have been a few times where C-Sec or another government has taken it to the end. Thus far, the elcor have won in all cases. It has reached the point where most don't bother unless the act is truly egregious.

Policy changes are also few and far between. The set of regulations and rules the elcor have had have not changed in the past century. Elcor are resistant to change, and unless they see a good reason to alter something, they will not do it. As a result, most of the time, policy is rarely touched, and the respective elcor focus on the also slow diplomatic elements – of which there usually aren't many.

**INTERNAL SECURITY**: Hilarious.

In the interest of a complete report, I shall convey that the elcor have a robust – if simple – surveillance system (compromised by the AIS), managed by a VI (compromised by the League of Zero) watching for any dangerous activity. They possess a small company of LOKI mechs (compromised by the League), though have only rarely been deployed.

Since they dislike militarization, their physical security consists of hired bouncers, usually from the Blue Suns (compromised by the STG), and the odd retired asari commando (compromised by the STG or Discerning). There is also a strict no-weapons policy in the embassy, which significantly lowers the overall security rating.

It should certainly be noted that a portion of the patrons of the embassy are actually plants from the AIS, STG, or Discerning, which is to say nothing of non-state actors like Aria or the major mercenary organizations like Eclipse. The entire embassy is bugged, and there appears to be an ongoing rivalry between all the involved intelligence organizations as to who can find and neutralize the other's bugs and compromised systems.

Even the drug dealers who come in are almost always compromised to some degree. The STG and Discerning are particularly adept at bribing them, sometimes to test out an in-house product or to pass along interesting information that they hear. More recently, the AIS has also been trying to push in on this information source, though both the aforementioned entities have been trying to slow them down.

To put this as simply as possible – the elcor do not control their embassy, and it is very likely they do not care.


	4. Citadel Subcommittees

_**LP's Note: **Happy Memorial Day Weekend!_

_This chapter is written by _**_Xabiar _**_with assistance from the Editing Gang._

_Enjoy! **Xab's** notes – when he has any – will appear at the _**_bottom_**_ of the chapter. There were none this time because with all the stuff going on we didn't have a full review session._

_If he adds any later, I will put them here._

* * *

**THE CITADEL COUNCIL**

**SECTION 3: CITADEL SUBCOMMITTEES**

* * *

**OVERVIEW**

Out of all the organizational aspects of the Citadel, the **subcommittees** have arguably been the element which has undergone the most radical change since the original conception of the Council. Initially, the subcommittees were merely the organizational arm of the Council, which would sort out the details of the legislature and protocol put forward. As membership grew, and the galactic economic, political, and military situation developed, so too did the role of the subcommittees.

Over centuries, the subcommittees have evolved to wield significant power of their own in their respective sphere to influence, to the point where they are the major legislative arm of Citadel space, and _extremely_ influential as a result. They are considered the most reliable path to affect galactic change, despite the lengths taken to get something enshrined into Citadel law or regulation.

Of course, this does not mean that the subcommittees are internally straightforward either. Several have and are suffering from differing degrees of gridlock due to ideological differences and standard corruption, as the subcommittees are a prime target for corporate lobbying and bribery in _addition_ to traditional state influence.

Complicating the dynamics are the fact that the subcommittees have recently undergone significant reformation in light of the Benezia Incident to a degree not seen since the Krogan Rebellions when the turians joined the Council. I suspect that the Council is using this as an opportunity to correct some of the issues and flaws in the previous iteration of the subcommittees, though even with that caveat, the sheer scale of what is being reformed indicates the Council had been planning such changes for some time – and the Benezia Incident is a convenient catalysis.

**REFORMATION OF THE SUBCOMMITTEES**

The previous iteration of the subcommittees operated _vastly_ different to how it operates today. The original template of subcommittee organization was vastly more constrained, universal, and deeply slated to specifically favor the Council races. It is honestly baffling that the subcommittees functioned in this way for so long, and can only be justified as incompetence (unlikely) or the Council (and subcommittees) being content with the current arrangement.

Each and every subcommittee was comprised, without exception, of three representatives from each Citadel member race, plus three _additional_ representatives for the Council races – asari, salarians, and turians respectively. This gave the Council races outsized leverage in all legislation, with bimonthly meetings which were largely ceremonial and open to the public.

Membership was decided by the current administrative council of the subcommittee, which sounds diplomatic until one remembers that the Council effectively controls who is able to sit on the committee or not, and while there _are_ standards and qualifications, the representatives from the Council races made sure that whoever was added was sympathetic and largely malleable to the Council. There is no public, academic, or outside input that necessarily matters – it is wholly determined internally.

Each subcommittee during this period also had a strict organizational formula - internally they were divided into four 'quadrants' – Administration, Research, Contracting, and Legislation, all of which are self-explanatory and highly restrictive as to their scope. This was something that multiple subcommittees complained of, especially the Subcommittee of Defense which obviously does not fit into such a template especially well.

Those concerns were always tangibly acknowledged and promises were made that the Council would look into 'revising' subcommittee structure, though nothing materialized and over time each of them managed to organize to some effectiveness under this template. The Council was also hesitant to create additional subcommittees due to the logistical burden, which is why, until recently, the subcommittee concerning diplomatic and other negotiation aspects was operating out of the Subcommittee on _Habitability_ of all things.

Despite this extremely inefficient and stacked setup, the subcommittees were capable of doing their work. If they hadn't, the Council would have collapsed long ago or the subcommittees would have been reformed. As it stands, it is fair to say that the subcommittees _stagnated_. They functioned, but were horribly inefficient, exploitable, and largely served as an informal extension of the Council with only a few exceptions.

The reformations brought about by the Benezia Incident and expansion of the Council are highly interesting in relevance in this context. In some respects this arguably puts _more_ power into the Council, and in others it makes the subcommittees more independent, if not subject to more corporate influence.

To begin with, the Chairmen of the subcommittees (the Councilors), have been granted _significantly_ more power to shape the direction, focus, and vision of the subcommittee. While there are still quotas to be upheld (each non-Council species must have at least one representative), it is far more flexible in terms of leadership personnel, allowing for more relevant appointments, as well as even corporate representation in several.

This has the appearance of potentially appearing to be ripe for abuse, but thus far none of the Councilors have taken the bait - though that is not to say that they aren't shaping their respective subcommittees to focus on their specific interests, which may or may not also benefit their respective races and allies.

This power also extends to how subcommittees are organized. No longer are subcommittees constrained to the quadrant system of organization, but allowed to have as many or few divisions or groups as leadership decides. This is less disruptive than it sounds, as most subcommittees simply 'broke' into these different groups which they'd unofficially been operating under for decades, but now without the copious amounts of red tape and bureaucracy brought about by the previous system. As there is no universal template, each subcommittee has a different structure than the others.

Two new subcommittees have also been created – the Subcommittee of Diplomacy and Integration, a long-overdue subcommittee which finally is given a focus on the diplomatic functions and responsibilities surrounding the Citadel, though ironically somewhat late considering the low likelihood of encountering a new alien species to integrate.

The second is the Subcommittee on Precursor Matters, which was formed solely to study material, histories, and technology of precursor races, primarily the Reapers, but also the protheans, tho'ian, and inusannon, as well as any others which may become relevant. This is a clear indication that the Council _is_ taking the Reaper threat seriously, even if publicly they are not signaling such.

There is also a good chance that those reading this will not have heard of the latter's announcement, and that is because it is a private subcommittee, and this serves as a segue into the differences between the two.

* * *

**SUBCOMMITTEE CLASSIFICATIONS**

There are two types of subcommittees, which have existed since the foundation of the Citadel Council:

**PUBLIC SUBCOMMITTEES**: These are subcommittees which, as the name implies, are known and open to the public. Public figures, organizations, and governments can approach, petition, or otherwise be fairly knowledgeable about the purpose and function of the subcommittee. Appointments are publicly available, and the subcommittee has an obligation to publish unclassified reports derived from their research and investigations on various topics and projects.

This is not to say that the public knows _everything_ about what happens in the subcommittee – they do not - but this is to say that they are very little different from any known government agency, as far as what is available and known about them.

The public subcommittees are the following:

\- The Subcommittee of Defense

\- The Subcommittee of Commerce

\- The Subcommittee on Sentient Rights

\- The Subcommittee on Health

\- The Subcommittee on Habitability

\- The Subcommittee on Science

\- The Subcommittee of Diplomacy and Integration

**PRIVATE SUBCOMMITTEES**: Until the reformations, there has only been one private subcommittee in existence – the Subcommittee on Privacy and Intelligence, which has served as the 'civilian' oversight of Citadel Intelligence, as well as setting policy and regulation related to privacy and surveillance. This now includes the Subcommittee on Precursor Matters.

Private subcommittees have operated by different standards since the beginning. First being that they actually function almost identical to the subcommittees now do today. Due to the sensitive nature of their work, appointment and organization was extremely flexible, and for all intents and purposes, all private subcommittees are unaffected by the reformations.

The major difference is that the public has no knowledge of _any _private subcommittees, nor are they required to provide any sort of disclosure for what they determine, publish, or share for their investigations and projects. There is in essence a shadow group which is setting _public_ legislation that no one knows about. Everyone believes that the regulations on surveillance are set by C-Sec or the Subcommittee of Defense, but that is just what is public. There are thousands of hidden regulations that only the Council, Citadel Intelligence, and a few others have access too which dictates what is _actually_ permitted or illegal.

Notably, the Council wields sole influence over the private subcommittees due to the fact that there are no quotas beyond one sitting member of each Council race. The Council has, somehow, shown some restraint in how many subcommittees they have made private. There has only been one until now, though there have been discussions over the centuries on creating a private subcommittee specifically for C-Sec, or slowly moving portions of the Subcommittee of Defense into a private subcommittee, but these were never carried out.

Depending on decisions the Council makes in the future, there is the possibility that more will be created. It is worth acknowledging and preparing for - if we begin now we can have operatives at all levels with any future subcommittee that may be set up from the ground level.

* * *

**THE SUBCOMMITTEE OF DEFENSE**

**CHAIRMAN**: Councilor Tarren Sparatus

**OVERVIEW**: One of the most prominent and important subcommittees is the Subcommittee of Defense, which is responsible for military coordination between Council races, setting Citadel rules of engagement, recommendations of declaration of war, regulations on military production (they were architects of the Treaty of Farixen), WMD proliferation policy, and setting agreements between the Citadel and defense contractors.

On the surface, this is straightforward. In reality, it is extraordinarily more complex. The Turian Hierarchy has wielded extensive influence over the subcommittee for decades, with the asari as the second-most influential. The salarians do not care for much of the open combat, and largely view the actions of the subcommittee with varying degrees of apathy and invested equally.

As the centuries have progressed, the Subcommittee of Defense has been subjected to significantly increased corruption as the racial governments have lost significant influence to major defense contractors which have played a very long and lucrative game in slowly subverting the subcommittee to engineer conditions which are favorable. These machinations have ranged from simple lobbying to blackmail (much of which was acquired from the Broker Network).

This is not to say the _entire_ subcommittee was corrupt, but defense corporations had influence equal to the turians in shaping policy. This began to be challenged when Sparatus was appointed, and has made no secret of his distaste for the defense corporations - and subsequently been using his leverage to curtail their influence.

Due to the reformations being made, there are two very distinct camps which comprise the Subcommittee of Defense – those who are bought by, or represent the defense corporations - and those who are not. While the reformations have not _significantly_ altered the composition, actions undertaken by Sparatus and Valern are looking to limit corporate influence, which both see as a vulnerability.

The restructuring of the subcommittee has contributed to this, and with some of the appointments Sparatus has made, it is likely that he will eventually get what he wants – especially since he has little issue bringing to bear the vast reach, intellect, and resources of the Palavanus.

**STRUCTURE**: The Subcommittee of Defense is broken into four distinct divisions, each with a specific focus curtailed to a defense topic. They are as follows:

Commission on Weapons of Mass Destruction: This body itself is largely 'new' in the sense that previously there was no dedicated group within the subcommittee which directly handled the topic of weapons of mass destruction. This was one of the first creations by Councilor Sparatus and it was not for the reason you may think.

Currently, the responsibilities of the Commission include handling regulations on all weapons of mass destruction, defining weapons of mass destruction, how weapons of mass destruction may or may not be produced and _who_ can produce them, and handling legal situations where weapons of mass destruction may or may not have been used. They are a non-partisan group whose focus as a legal entity is simply to determine if WMDs were utilized, and/or if they were utilized legally.

It is important to note, as you no doubt know, that WMDs are legal to be utilized in very specific situations. The situation on Virmire was one such situation where it was justified, and had this specific commission existed, it would have come to that conclusion. One might expect that this Commission has not been busy, and they would be very wrong.

They have significantly refined and expanded the qualifications of different types of WMDs. They are the following:

_Biological Weapons of Mass Destruction_: WMDs which are biologically or virally based which have the potential of causing a galactic or localized pandemic.

_Nanite and Microtech Weapons of Mass Destruction: _WMD's based entirely on uncontrolled, freely replicative black nanotech. Similar to biological but more difficult to eradicate.

_Conventional Weapons of Mass Destruction_: These WMDs are ones more are familiar with. Atomic weapons which are capable of causing significant damage to the infrastructure and biosphere of a planet.

_Unconventional Weapons of Mass Destruction_: This is a _theoretical_ WMD which was quietly included and the definition is slightly obscure, but it is clear what this is meant to represent. Weapons or bombs which are capable of causing mass-extinction events, which can be based on exotic matter, high energy dispersion, or other unknown methods. The scale of these has also been estimated to be between planetoid damage, to a full-scale destruction of a star system. As of now there is no known weapon which is capable of this – which makes this inclusion questionable.

On its own this is not necessarily indicative of anything. But combine this with the fact that the Commission has been modifying regulations regarding acceptable usage – and _ever_-so-slightly lessening the restrictions. This is being done in a very deliberate, very careful manner – and I suspect that the primary reason the last WMD category was created was to facilitate the Citadel with vast authority to utilize WMDs in the future.

The definition of "Unconventional" is broad enough that, theoretically, any potential Reaper, Prothean, or Inusannon superweapon that could be developed would fall under this category – and while regulations on conventional WMDs are strict – the ones on _unconventional_ WMDs are _not_.

Right now, conventional WMDs can only be used in limited circumstances, which require extenuating circumstances or direct approval from the Council, the Subcommittee on Habitability, and the Subcommittee of Defense. It is legally binding, and penalties are severe. Unconventional WMDs on the other hand, are allowed to be utilized in far more broad circumstances, roughly defined as 'If the target poses a direct threat to the survival of the Citadel Council or sapient life'. The consequences for using them if this definition somehow does not apply is minimal in comparison. A loss of rank, potential prison time, and monetary fines.

A slap on the wrist, in other words.

Now, why would the regulations be so relaxed? In the context of Sparatus being in charge, and being focused on the coming Reaper threat, this is no doubt an elaborate and subtle means of preparing the Citadel for taking extremely controversial actions, which he seems to believe will be necessary to preserve the Citadel.

This is also reflected in who is appointed to the Commission. There is a permanent seat reserved for each Citadel race. The rest is a group of five individuals who must be high-ranking military or intelligence officials, where race is not important. Lobbyists and defense contractors are forbidden from holding any positions, and the punishment for corruption specifically on the Commission is almost ludicrously draconian.

This component of the Subcommittee is more important than we initially thought. It is strongly suggested that we keep a close eye on it.

Citadel Military Regulation: Created largely for the management and coordination of the Citadel Defense Force, Citadel Fleet, and Council Special Operations Group, this division is responsible for setting the structure, organization, Citadel defense contingencies, and rules of engagement of the above groups.

It is composed solely of serving military officials, with the majority being drawn from Citadel Forces, but also one representative per Citadel member race. This division has granted leniency to the respective racial government for appointing, and most have either created a special position or sent a fairly high ranking representative to participate.

There is representation from the Systems Alliance Navy, the Migrant Fleet, the Volus Defense Force, Asari Navy, the Salarian Navy, and the Palavanus. The remaining six seats consist of appointments directly by the Citadel Fleet, the Citadel Defense Force (Both of whom have two appointments, the Council Special Operations Group, and Citadel Intelligence. In the case of deadlocks, the Chairman can serve as tiebreaker.

This is a fairly straightforward division, and one also devoid of corporate influence – though this division is capable of setting regulations which can impact how and when defense contractors are chosen.

Citadel Military Coordination: This is one of the most important divisions within the subcommittee, and it is effectively responsible for managing coordination between _every_ military force of a Citadel member race. The purpose is to be able to draft joint battle plans, strategies, and contingencies for joint Citadel military action.

This is, as one can expect, a massive undertaking, but one which the necessity has not been more apparent. Currently progress on _anything_ is slow due to competing military preferences, racial and political tensions, and reluctance to rely too heavily on allies. Sparatus has been leveraging significant pressure for the division to make progress, and has the votes to begin removing people from their positions – which he has yet to follow through on, but the threat is obvious, and has spurred some _preliminary_ action.

Each Citadel race is allowed to appoint two members (either military or intelligence) to represent their species – something which applies to non-Council races as well. This also applies to each branch of the Citadel military, with the exception of the Council Special Tasks Group. Sparatus has also allowed a grand total of two defense lobbyists to hold positions, which was justified as a necessity in the event that certain products were needed to be made on a massive scale.

This has forced the defense contractors to communicate with each other and jointly approve representatives. It has, unsurprisingly, led to significant complaints since these corporations are major rivals with each other, and compromise is difficult. I suspect this was intentional on Sparatus's part, and certainly something he would institute. It's also notable that appointments still require approval, and those who can apply first have a better chance of being considered. This has led to some major defense contractors being completely shut out because they refused to compromise on a representative, and some rising arms corporations getting representation.

But truthfully, representation here is largely symbolic. Where the military industrial complex has power is in the last division.

Citadel Defense Contracting: All contracting related to defense, weapons, and military products is done through this division, which is responsible for negotiating, drafting, refining, finalizing, and approving contracts the Citadel has with all of its defense contractors. Contracting is a significant component of the Citadel, far more so than most people realize, and the division is equally sized to accommodate this.

There are essentially two 'components' of this division. The first is the Citadel side, which has the contract negotiators which put up contracts for bidding, and who negotiate with the corporations in question. Sparatus has stacked the six-team leadership of this department with people he's personally approved who are extremely _aggressive_ in their negotiations. As in that they are willing to tell corporations 'no' if they are not satisfied with the proposal.

Sparatus has directly advised them to seek out multiple smaller corporations if the largest defense contractors don't play ball. His conduct here has achieved… mixed results to put it politely. The Citadel is currently being sued by several corporations, citing 'unfair contract negotiations'. Their suit will fail since they can't force the Citadel to take their services, but it is a waste of time and money for all involved, and certain people are irritated with Sparatus for appointing such hostile people to this division.

Sparatus has ignored these complaints.

The second component is the corporate side. There are ten spots for the largest defense corporations who can _directly_ negotiate with the Citadel for contracts. There are ten additional spots for smaller to medium-sized corporations who can agree to sponsor representatives together. These are rotated every year and new appointees are approved by the Citadel component.

Placement in this division allows these corporations a _major_ advantage in scoring contracts with the Citadel when it comes to defense. This does _not_ mean that corporations which are not part of this division cannot receive Citadel contracts – but they will be at a significant disadvantage, which is why the corporations are fighting so hard to hold a seat.

Further rewarding any corporation with a presence is that there are five additional positions for each Council race, who are granted the authority to negotiate contracts on behalf of their racial government, such as the Systems Alliance, Salarian Union, and so on. This is arguably more valuable than access to the Citadel, and yet another major reason why competition is so fierce for seats in this division.

Contracting is cutthroat, though Sparatus is only concerned about corruption and criminal activity on the Citadel side of Contracting. What the corporations decide in negotiations with each other behind the scenes he does not appear to be interested in. He has certainly earned some enemies with his decisions, but he is untouchable right now and he knows it.

Rather impressive, I will admit. This kind of neutering of corporate influence is very salarian-esque – certainly not what you would expect from a turian – but exactly what you could expect from Sparatus.

**PERSONNEL OF NOTE** – **SEROTH VAS**: While normally focusing on a salarian on this particular subcommittee – one I will remind you the salarians only have a passive interest – would be a strange focus, Seroth Vas is, obviously, somewhat atypical. Thankfully, we are not dealing with another League of Zero puppet, but an actual salarian.

A salarian who is a former STG operative (how shocking) – and currently a sitting Citadel Intelligence veteran who was the _Deputy Director_ of the entire organization before being directly approached by Sparatus who spoke with multiple Citadel Intelligence officials before they appointed him as one of their representatives on the Citadel Military Coordination division.

He does not actively participate in the meetings so much as forge direct personal connections with all of the members. This is a very, very skilled social salarian, fluent in all primary languages of Council races, and who is reported as being easy to work with and cooperative. This has led to him more or less being one of the most influential individuals in the entire division.

He is unofficially Sparatus's whip when it comes to approvals, proposals, and appointments and how any progress is being made in that division at all. Seroth is very good at securing a majority of votes for any given topic, and more impressive is his ability to shift coalitions when needed. Thus far few, if any have noticed that a common thread in how Sparatus is getting his way is Seroth's deep involvement.

This salarian is directly aligned with Sparatus's vision and intentions for the subcommittee, and an unofficial spy and power broker. He has not utilized the Network, and considering he worked in Financial Intelligence prior to his appointment as Deputy Director of Citadel Intelligence, it paints a clear picture of why Sparatus is so confident in a salarian.

**PERSONNEL OF NOTE – IUDIS PALAVANUS**: As always, the involvement of a Palavanus in _anything_ is very concerning news and Iudis Palavanus is absolutely no exception. The turian appointee to the Citadel Military Regulation division, Iudis is not the expected appointee for several reasons. First of which is that he is not, explicitly, a warmaster.

Yes, technically Palavanus are all master strategists, but from what we have learned, Iudis specialized more in contingencies, details, and administration. He spent some time with the VDF and then it was assumed that he was going to apply whatever he learned to the Hierarchy. As it turned out, it appears he is utilizing it for the Citadel directly.

His impact is _not_ completely apparent unless you apply this data point with his relatively minor role as a Palavanus – and you realize that he is the ultimate get out of jail free card for the Citadel Military. After Iudis got involved, the regulations regarding the military were doubled in size. This would, presumably, indicate an absurd amount of red tape.

The reality is almost the exact opposite.

This mad Palavanus has crafted each piece of – approved I will remind you – regulation to effectively give the military autonomy. There are so many contingencies, protocols, hyper-specific rules of engagement, and exceptions that can let the Citadel military do everything short of an outright coup – all legal.

And at the same time, not.

Because these exceptions are so hyper-specific, that also means they are only capable of being justified in such specific circumstances. _As they are written_ the vast majority cannot be applied. But when you consider that the Citadel is, no matter how covertly, preparing for the Reapers, it becomes abundantly clear that when the Reapers hit – or an equivalent threat – the Military is going to have exactly _zero_ red tape stopping them from defending the Citadel or other designated zones.

The wording is done in such as a way as to appear completely reasonable to the average reader – even _volus_ lawyers were convinced this was reasonable – and they specifically commended the sheer complexity and size. I sincerely doubt that anyone who approved this knew what they were approving. Not really.

I suspect only Sparatus and Valern understood the extent of what was going to be permitted. It remains to be seen if Iudis will remain at his position or, now that his work is complete, move somewhere else. As of now, he remains and will likely be instrumental in shaping anything else produced by that division.

**PERSONNEL OF NOTE – MILAS SCARIF**: It has been pointed out that the defense corporations are having various degrees of difficulty adapting to the more stringent rules surrounding their influence. One individual who is _not_, and is well on his way to becoming one of the next stars of the arms industry, is Milas Scarif, of Scarif System Solutions – or Triple S as he humorously refers to it as.

Now, what _is_ Triple S?

A cross between a hyper-specialized precursor research _and_ a superweapons think tank.

Mr. Scarif is a fairly young man with absurdly large ambitions and an imagination more creative than is good for him. We are unsure _how_ exactly he first rose to prominence, as he seemed to emerge out of nowhere offering first consulting services, and later as actually producing prototypes.

What history we could determine is _deeply_ tied to the High Lords of Sol. We are unsure exactly what the nature of this relationship was, but Triple S was staffed with prothean, inusannon, and tho'ian experts right out of the gate, and the majority of their initial work was in advising archeological digs.

The superweapons component comes in later. They were first focused on gaining investment from outside parties – which primarily came from asari and human sources, and then out of nowhere released a simulation of a theoretical weapon derived from prothean technology which was capable of cracking a moon.

This was, of course, not marketed that way. That would be illegal and invite investigation, instead it was proposed as an 'asteroid mining solution'. In reality it was Scarif testing the waters for interest. And interest he received. Shell companies controlled by the High Lords, Palavanus, and SIX (as well as ourselves and the League of Zero) approached and he gave his real sales pitch.

He and Triple S had a series of scientifically feasible weapons which would easily be considered WMDs by any reasonable metric – but ones which were more powerful, scalable, and advanced than any which currently existed. Scarif claimed to have been inspired by the Refusal Wars, and was concerned that the Citadel would be unable to withstand a threat like that – not without weapons powerful enough to potentially cripple planets or star systems.

The problem? While the science was sound, nothing had been proven, and it was going to be a very, very expensive investment. One which everyone was intrigued by… but were hesitant to be the one to take the plunge. This did not, of course, deter Scarif, as their archeological consultation side of business was keeping them afloat.

Then the Benezia Incident happened.

Scarif initially held out. He seemed to be anticipating a surge, and was waiting for the ultimate contract. The subcommittee reformations happened, and Scarif reached out to a number of mid-level corporations. Ones which focused on mining, resource refinement, delicate production, and at least a half dozen archeological startups focusing on very, very specific fields.

With himself as the representative, he applied for a seat on Defense Contracting and he succeeded. Very soon after that he landed an exclusive contract with the Citadel and Triple S has been working on four projects all classified at the highest levels, ones even we can only somewhat discern the purpose of.

Now why would the Citadel be remotely interested in this?

Recall the Commission on WMDs, and how there was a distinction made between 'conventional' and 'unconventional' WMDs, and how the latter had far fewer regulations. Any theoretical 'superweapon' Scarif and Triple S develops would fall into the latter category as it would be derived from precursor technology.

We have very little ideas as to the specifics Scarif proposed and is implementing, but we are aware of a test that was recently conducted on a world which is just under the threshold of a Garden World. While details were elusive, whatever they conducted effectively killed everything on that planet.

Of additional interest? Thanix Palavanus has met with him multiple times.

Something to consider. I recommend we gather more information, both on these projects and what the Citadel intends to do with them.

* * *

**THE SUBCOMMITTEE OF COMMERCE**

**CHAIRMAN**: Councilor Tarren Sparatus

**OVERVIEW**: The galactic economy is something which the Council takes _extremely_ seriously given that how they choose to handle it will determine if there would be a Citadel-wide recession or depression. The importance of the galactic economy has only grown more and more as the centuries have progressed, and at the heart of Citadel economic policy is the Subcommittee of Commerce.

This subcommittee has been responsible for handling the Citadel budget, setting financial regulation, hosting the galactic stock index, managing the Citadel Reserve, and being the primary manager of the stability of the credit chit. Without this subcommittee the galactic economy would be… messy.

Very messy.

The volus are primarily responsible for empowering the subcommittee to such a degree, as without the volus intervention in the establishment of a galactic currency, both the economic and political power and reach of the Citadel would be severely diminished. It has now stabilized to the point where the Citadel is _the_ financial market to be in.

Councilor Sparatus is also in charge of this subcommittee, which is solely due to the close relationship the turians had with the volus, and when it comes to matters of finance, a volus is preferable to have around. This is also a subcommittee with significant corporate influence even Sparatus has been unable to mitigate, though it would be a mistake to say that Sparatus is setting the tone and policy for this subcommittee.

That honor would go to a very specific group of volus whose involvement we should be concerned about.

**STRUCTURE**: There are five divisions within the Subcommittee of Commerce, and are as follows:

Financial Standards Committee: This division can be charitably called the most powerful division within the subcommittee. Their responsibilities include setting all financial standards for Citadel space and regulations regarding trade, investment, and every single financial action you can think of.

They are also controlled by the Unseen Cloud.

The committee consists of a dozen financial experts from various Citadel races – no quotas – and half of them are volus, and half of _those_ volus are confirmed to be Unseen Cloud. This is not something Sparatus is ignorant of, and we believe he specifically intended for this to be the case. The sheer degree of volus influence on not just this division, but all divisions, can be attributed to several factors.

The first is that it makes sense. If you're handling economic matters, having volus input is extremely valuable. The second is that it is an unspoken concession between the Council and Vol Protectorate who were feeling very snubbed at being denied a Council seat while the humans and quarians received one instead. Finally the volus are not necessarily acting without direction – Sparatus has appeared to direct them to begin shaping the galactic economy to prepare for a long-term war.

We can see this if we apply known Unseen Cloud methods to recent economic developments. The influence of the Unseen Cloud is very real in how the financial regulations are revised, written, or adapted. On the surface it may appear that the Citadel is easing a lot of financial restrictions, particularly when it comes to investment, production, and transparency, but these serve a specific purpose which allows governments to be able to properly invest and perform research without fear of legal retribution.

It is a risk, but one Sparatus feels is necessary.

It should also not be surprising that the volus in question are profiting quite handsomely off of these modifications to Citadel financial regulation – something Sparatus is presumably aware of, and accepted as a necessary evil.

Fiscal Budgetary Board: This is one of the most straightforward divisions in that it is exactly how it sounds. The Budgetary Board is responsible for setting the annual budget for the Citadel, including utilities, infrastructure, military, intelligence, C-Sec, and more. The mission is simple, and the Board straightforward.

There is one representative from each affected agency or institution who has a seat, along with a Budgetary Coordinator (a volus, unsurprisingly) who largely compiles the entire budget into one easily digestible report to present to the Council. It should be noted that the budget the Citadel has is _vast_. Very vast.

And it was tripled in the most recent proposal.

The Citadel does not necessarily have an issue with investing and spending an exorbitant amount of money – but what they _do_ require is that every single purchase is documented. They don't want any black holes, which does lead to the official report being highly classified when all is said and done. The unclassified version is released to the public, which shows breakdowns in budget by agency, not specifics.

Credit Stability and Oversight: Considering that the credit is the galactic currency which is used even in places like the Terminus Systems, ensuring that it is healthy and stable is of _extreme_ importance to the Citadel. This division is set up to do exactly that, and is also fairly straightforward in its mission.

It is managed by eight individuals, half of whom are volus (unsurprising given that they were instrumental in _setting up_ the entire system), who are drawn from premier financial institutions and banks. This group also has significant influence over the credit, and can invoke a number of security measures to prevent collapse, or keep it stable.

They also closely monitor the Galactic Stock Index, and have a limited amount of power over it, which does include the capability of freezing it for a period of between twelve hours to one week. This has not needed to be invoked yet. What is _very_ interesting is that this group is not limited to Citadel space – only where the credit has power.

Which has led to a… representative of sorts being placed in this group. We will cover her shortly.

Board of Sanctions and Economic Warfare: This is a very new addition to the subcommittee and a function which was previously not utilized very often. For the most part, Citadel sanctions have only applied to certain lawless individuals and groups in the Terminus and beyond, and usage against the Batarian Empire were their most prominent.

The Board here, however, is being granted significantly more tools and leverage to use, and it isn't immediately clear _what_ this is going to be used for. Unlike much of the other divisions, this board is stacked with intelligence officials from the STG, Citadel Intelligence, and AIS. It is _likely_ that this is being geared for significant usage in the future.

For what purpose?

I will draw attention to the 'Economic Warfare' part of this division, which is where the true purpose of this division seems to lie. Everyone – and I mean _everyone_ who has written about this – focuses solely on the sanctions. There is breathless speculation that this is going to lead to the Terminus Systems being locked down, or the Batarians being decimated more than they already are.

But that ignores the subtlety of this division; the secret mission it is preparing to carry out. Economic Warfare is defined as not limited to enemies of the Council, but also non-compliant allies. This division is drawing up contingencies, plans, and strategies to be able to collapse currencies to enhance the credit, remove or create artificial scarcity, reduce megacorporations to going bankrupt overnight, or removing troublesome officials from racial governments through artificial credit score manipulation.

In short? This _appears_ to be laying the groundwork for a potential galactic conquest of the economy by the Citadel. The justification? The Reapers, which is the _only_ reason anyone is going along with this level of doomsday preparation. If the Citadel is prepared to _utilize_ any of these powers and contingencies is open for significant debate – but if they do, they have the tools they need to carry it out.

Citadel Financial Reserve: Deeply tied to Credit Oversight and Stability, the Citadel Financial Reserve is the primary holder of raw valuable materials, including precious metals, eezo, and precursor technology as well as the primary producer of credits, and managing currency exchanges Citadel-wide.

Two dozen seats make up the Reserve, each of them managing one of the central banks which are spread throughout Council races for redundancy. In the event that there is an economic downturn or the market needs to be adjusted, the Financial Reserve steps in and corrects it as best they can.

It is not a complicated division, and one with quite a bit of influence. But the Financial Reserve is notably careful with how it manages its power, because they know that a poor decision will have repercussions throughout Citadel space and beyond.

**PERSONNEL OF NOTE** – **LOS DOR**: If there is one volus which is one of the most influential on the entire subcommittee, it is Los Dor, a mild-mannered volus financial genius who is largely under the radar of both Vol Prime and everyone else. He doesn't have any notoriety or fame – which is the point.

Los Dor, as you may have guessed, is part of the Unseen Cloud, and one of the most senior members for that matter. It is unclear _how_ exactly Sparatus got him to join this subcommittee on the Financial Standards Committee, but Los Dor _has_ written a very obscure and hidden paper on the economic impact of a Third Refusal War, and to put it bluntly, the predictions are not good.

It listed a number of steps that could be taken to mitigate the economic fallout, some of which are common sense, and others are laughably extreme. But now this same person is being given extraordinary power to shape the Citadel preparations for an apocalyptic scenario. Slowly, subtly, but surely.

He sees the preservation of the galactic economy as the most important mission the Unseen Cloud has ever undertaken. He is leveraging them fully, and we should tread very carefully around what the Citadel is doing. When the Unseen Cloud is involved, one cannot be too careful.

**PERSONNEL OF NOTE – LORA JAX**: This individual is interesting for multiple reasons. She is officially the owner of a mid-sized eezo mining company which primarily services the Terminus Systems, but also the Citadel. She formally holds one of the seats on Credit Stability and Oversight, as one of the corporations with a clear business presence in the Terminus Systems.

The open secret regarding her is that she is not exactly here solely representing her company, but is more or less a direct proxy of Aria, who keeps in steady, if covert contact with her. This is something which is _known_, and is the Citadel looking the other way. Not willing to deal with the controversy of actually having one of Aria's representatives on such a major division, but also realizing that the galactic economy _does_ include the Terminus Systems.

Thus, a compromise was unofficially reached. Aria is one of Jax's largest clients – and accounts for a full 70% of their profits, and their board of directors is stacked with appointees 'suggested' by the Pirate Queen. Pretending that she's anything but an extension of Aria's influence is naïve, but it is a means of covertly including a major economic power player without being too obvious about it.

It would be a mistake to say that everyone is _happy_ with this arrangement, but so long as Aria plays ball and actually has her proxy contribute, the Citadel will keep the hunting to the more distant trails rather than going after her personally.

**PERSONNEL OF NOTE – SHAWN YORA**: The AIS being involved in anything is usually not a good thing. The AIS having a presence on the Board of Sanctions and Economic Warfare is _concerning_. Especially when such an individual is _Shawn Yora_. It is unlikely that most have heard of him, and there is good reason for that.

To provide a short summary, Yora has been involved in over three dozen High Lords projects which range from Alliance-wide to personal ones they undertook. He only receives orders via Red Note, and carries one such Note on him at all times which gives him functional immunity from _anything._

While this individual _appears_ human, he is a full cyborg at nearly sixty-five conversion rate. He is more machine than man in the most objective sense of the word. Most of the modifications are internal. He is believed to be the result of a High Lords project, and while his actual capabilities are not fully known, they are almost certainly far beyond baseline human.

He is also dangerously intelligent, and has taken a prominent role in shaping the output of the division he is assigned to. Curiously, he lacks the expected xenophobia from one so close to the High Lords, and is in fact quite cordial with his alien colleagues. This may be an act, or it may be genuine. We do not know, though it matters very little, because this man has a direct line to the High Lords and is loyal only to them.

I suspect he was chosen because the High Lords are concerned that the division could be turned against the Systems Alliance, and Yora has been sent to ensure that does not happen under any circumstances. If Yora will be successful or not has yet to be determined, but it _appears_ that the goals of the High Lords are deterrence and _not_ control.

Though if their agent can shape the policy in their favor, or against their rivals, all the better.

Keep an eye on him.

* * *

**THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON SENTIENT RIGHTS**

**CHAIRMAN**: Councilor Tevos T'Sael

**OVERVIEW**: To this day there is an open debate on if the name of this subcommittee was an accident or not. For the average citizen, there is no difference between 'sentient' and 'sapient' and both are used interchangeably despite them _not being the same thing_. The justification for this specific word has been that it also encompasses subjects like animal testing treatment, and other 'sapient' creatures.

But throwing aside the political correctness, the vast majority of this subcommittee is devoted towards the subject of _sapient_ rights. These include legal, habitable, and utility 'rights' that each galactic citizen is entitled to. This is, to put it bluntly, effectively useless and this is arguably the weakest subcommittee since it absolutely does _not_ live up to the mission implied in the name.

Instead, the true influence and authority of this subcommittee has to, ironically, do with subjects which involve the suppression or stripping of rights, such as prisons, clinical trials, and the encountering of pre-spaceflight species. This is one of the most unassuming, though questionable subcommittees for those who look beyond the surface level.

Unsurprising that this is managed by Tevos, and uniquely stacked to subtly favor the asari and their allies.

**STRUCTURE**: The Subcommittee of Sentient Rights is composed of four divisions:

Committee of Rights: I present what is arguably the most toothless, powerless, and symbolic division in the entirety of the subcommittees. On paper, this has the potential for the Council to set the tone of what is, and is not acceptable, and use their power for presumed good. On paper, what the Citadel demands, such as universal healthcare for all, free and fair elections, fair and honest justice, digital privacy, no person going hungry, and all who treat their fellow sapients with respect.

All of these are good things.

In reality, the Committee of Rights is symbolic, and only invoked as a weapon or rule when it is convenient for them. The humans sit upon the Council and they have millions starving and dying on their homeworld. The salarians outright laugh at the idea of privacy. The asari remain under the dominance of the Thirty. Even the Hierarchy is under the influence of the Palavanus when they deign to intervene.

Each species who sits on the Council now is lucky to only truly meet _some_ of the standards for sapient rights. Yet the Committee has no power by design. When the Council sided with the humans against the batarians, this exact charter was brought up as justification to side against them. Unquestionably the batarians are worse than the humans, but it is pure hypocrisy to act like the humans are better when it comes to the 'rights' of their people.

Even on the Citadel they fail. There are homeless who live in the wards. Many who come here go bankrupt due to the living expenses. Citadel Intelligence is willing and legally allowed to violate every aspect of your private life, and you are ruled over by an unelected Council who may sometimes take a petition into consideration.

There is nothing more that needs to be said about this waste of a division. It does not matter, and means nothing.

Live Experimentation and Testing: On the surface, live testing is bad in the eyes of the Citadel – at least when it comes to sapients. Most individuals who are familiar with this division believe it mostly covers animal testing and ethical sapient testing – which it does. Tevos has structured the division so that it highlights these points.

There are two seats of the ten-seat division leadership upon which are seated animal rights activists, who are coincidentally from rather _controversial_ groups who champion that cause. They are a constant source of drama over every single proposed regulation around animal testing. Loud enough to cause a distraction, not powerful enough to change anything.

One seat is devoted exclusively to an asari PR representative who handles media questions. She is Discerning, and directly used for shaping the narrative surrounding the division, mostly towards the aforementioned subjects. The remaining seats are reserved for medical officials – and C-Sec and Citadel Intelligence representatives.

On paper, sapient experimentation is illegal, and the rights of people who participate in clinical trials are clearly defined. The issue is that these regulations were written by Discerning, Citadel Intelligence, and Citadel Security, and assuming there aren't a myriad of catches and exceptions is highly naïve.

And there are _many_ such catches and exemptions. All neatly tucked away in one to two sentence endings, which use very vague and also hyper-specific language, which could be argued by a competent lawyer as legal if caught. Things such as 'known and continuous contact' as a requirement for liability, without actually defining what that means legally speaking.

None of this is reported on by any media outlet. Everyone remains fixated on the drama orchestrated by Tevos and ignores the reality of what is being enabled.

First Contact Observation and Regulation: This is a recent addition to the entire subcommittee, one which was included after the Relay-314 Incident as the Council realized that there was no true First Contact policy for a pre or limited spaceflight species, of which humanity _almost_ qualified for.

The purpose of this division is simple – it defines the protocols and regulations for what the Citadel can do in the event that a pre-spaceflight species is discovered. Right now, this division has made it so that interfering in pre-spaceflight species is forbidden unless there is reason to believe they face an extension-level event.

They are, however, allowed to observe and gather data. They are allowed to lock down the star system and nearest relay to prevent other non-Citadel parties from interfering. Language and culture are prioritized for data harvesting, and this is ostensibly to prepare them for joining the Citadel when they make first contact.

It is a very elaborate means of grooming a new species for the Council. Observation teams are legally able to do everyone short of kidnap and experiment on them as the salarians enjoyed doing. The so-called 'independence' given to these species to develop means very little when the Citadel knows everything about them, how they think and act, and what they believe.

This is also the _current_ iteration. It is unlikely that it will become more ethical from here.

Board of Prisons and Inmate Allowances: This is one of the most unknown parts of the Subcommittee, and previously buried under dozens of bureaucratic hurdles, and ironically been forced to become more prominent after the reorganization, though there do not seem to be many who are interested in this particular subject.

On paper, the Citadel actually has some of the most generous regulations for prisoners. No long-term isolation, access to physical reading materials, regular educational classes, regular visitors, and access to a Citadel lawyer. Citadel prisons have been praised by rights activists as some of the most humane, second only to asari cells (an utterly _hilarious_ comparison).

The reason for this is simple – the Citadel has no real reason to make their prisons hell. Everyone who would take advantage never once steps foot in them.

While this division sets the regulations for prisons and rights for prisoners and detainees, it _also _handles topics such as extraditions, and different classes of criminals. A major misconception is that these rights are universal. According to the regulations, they are not. Citadel Intelligence and C-Sec have the authority to designate certain individuals as 'high-risk', and they are treated _differently_.

How differently?

That is unknown. If there was extensive documentation on the different classes of criminal, someone else would have noticed. Instead, individuals designated as 'high-risk' are, and I quote, "Subject to the internal handling guidelines of the holding agency", conveniently worded so as to apply to _multiple_ parties.

Practically, this division allows Citadel Intelligence and C-Sec to hold or interrogate 'high-risk' captives indefinitely. They can be stored anywhere, and are not guaranteed any rights. This also applies to any extraditions. High-risk individuals can be turned over to racial governments and it is completely legal.

No one who is dangerous is in the Citadel prisons. They are somewhere else, and as you can imagine, this makes it very easy for certain 'accidents' to happen. This is why when there is a trial of a high-profile criminal, they almost _always_ petition to be tried under a racial government. Because they know that if they are convicted on the Citadel, they are as good as dead.

**PERSONNEL OF NOTE – SIERRA WORTHSDALE**: I am including this woman as someone to keep an eye on because she is notably different from most on the list because she is not a shadowy or malicious figure who seeks to manipulate everything she comes into contact with.

Just the opposite in fact. She's an empathetic optimist. An utterly rare breed in the Citadel.

She was working as an Alliance diplomat for a half decade before she was nominated to the First Contact Observation and Regulation, who I suspect was cynically put there to give a sympathetic face to humans, who may have benefitted from some of these regulations. This has turned out to be a mistake as she has turned into a thorn in the side of the entire division.

She's fiercely against _any_ kind of tampering or data gathering of developing species, and wanted to limit the actions of any Citadel action to protecting the species in question from malicious actors. Any kind of intervention and observation, she argues, has the chance to backfire and unleash unintended consequences.

Sierra is often the voice of dissent in the room, though has no real power of her own. She is often overruled, censored, yet she still persists in her futile crusade. To her credit, she has used her diplomatic skills to prevent some of the regulations from being _more_ permissive than they already are, and has zero qualms about bringing in outside pressure from activist groups or concerned citizens.

Tevos has begun exploring options to remove her, but an issue is that she is respected by most in the division, who would argue for her to remain even though her viewpoint is vastly different. Thus far, the Alliance has shown no interest in recalling her, and actively commended her at multiple points.

An individual to note. There may be more going on here than meets the eye.

**PERSONNEL OF NOTE – SOLA VATHAN**: I was quite surprised to be including this name on this subcommittee, mostly because Sola is an individual I have personally met many, many years ago. A matriarch now, she is a soft-spoken, gentle individual lovingly bonded to a turian male, and with twelve daughters and twice that number of grandchildren.

Her personality and background shroud the fact that Sola is one of the most cold-blooded individuals I have ever had the pleasure of interacting with. Half of her daughters are in C-Sec, her mate was a former detective, and another of her daughters is a Justicar. Sola was also an asari lawyer for many years, and these days her retirement consists of holding a seat on the Board of Prisons and Inmate Allowances.

One can perhaps see where this is going.

Sola does not care necessarily for her Family. She despises politics. She dislikes the Citadel. The only group she seems to truly care for are C-Sec, and had quietly made it her mission to ensure that they are kept as safe as possible. She has a cold hatred of criminals, and this was something Tevos presumably knows about, considering what role she holds on the Board.

High-risk names must be approved before they are legally allowed to be treated under the appropriate regulations. Each and every name submitted from Citadel Intelligence, C-Sec, and the racial governments goes directly to Sola who will decide if they will be placed on the high-risk list or not.

Her only calculus is how dangerous she considers them to C-Sec and the wider galaxy at large. Factors such as 'guilt' or 'innocence' are not necessarily the important factors. If a known criminal is actually innocent of the specific crime they are being accused of, she will mark them as high-risk regardless because of their involvement in previous cases.

This is an ice-cold asari who will decide the fates of anyone unfortunate enough to be caught over her dinner, or while spending time with her grandchildren. No one knows that she is the final voice in these decisions, otherwise she would almost certainly have been targeted by threatened parties.

Though I suspect she would expect it. Perhaps she would even welcome it.

* * *

**THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON HEALTH**

**CHAIRMAN**: Councilor Thin'Koris

**OVERVIEW**: The middling subcommittee, the Subcommittee on Health is a fairly straightforward operation with a clear mission statement, which is to set health standards for Citadel space, oversee medical regulations, manage Citadel healthcare, and manage medical patents and the galactic healthcare industry.

This subcommittee received some renewed attention as Councilor Thin'Koris was appointed as chairman after the reorganization, and is the first quarian to preside over a subcommittee. It is likely he received the appointment due to quarians taking health seriously, and it was expected that he would naturally fit into the role. It was previously held by Councilor Tevos.

It is one of the largest subcommittees by nature of its reach, which includes much more than administration, but also hospitals, doctors, and medical professionals of all types. Which is to say nothing of the small army of administrators in context of the health industry. There is a heavy corporate angle to this subcommittee, and there have often been clashes between the corporate and medical sides in regards to policy and regulation.

Another suspected reason why Thin'Koris was appointed to the subcommittee is to serve as a mediator between the two camps, and bridge the gap. Thus far it appears to be working.

**STRUCTURE**: The Subcommittee on Health is broken into four divisions:

Citadel Health and Inspections: This division is sectioned into two different camps – regulation and inspections. Regulation is self-explanatory, as this is the group which establishes the health and safety standards for everything in Citadel space, from establishments, to food, to medical facilities and so on.

Thin'Koris removed almost half of the leadership in this group, citing their 'resistance to proper medical standards', and since all who were dismissed were corporate lobbyists, it is not difficult to see why they were removed. Though he notably allowed them to be replaced by similar corporate interests – though these ones were more receptive to stricter medical regulations.

The other side of this includes inspections, which are responsible for quarterly inspections at establishments based on the Citadel or within Citadel space. They are rather infamous on the Citadel for being extremely strict, unforgiving, and often accused of going on power trips, which has led to several lawsuits who allege that the inspectors exaggerated or outright fabricated violations due to a variety of racial and political reasons. These lawsuits were subsequently thrown out.

The Praesidium is often commented upon as a very clean place, and this is due to the strict enforcement of medical standards. However, the further one goes into the Wards, especially the lower Wards, the more they see the loosened grip Inspections has on the Citadel. C-Sec is unwillingly to assign officers as guards for certain parts of the Citadel, and Inspections is not willing to risk people after several inspectors were shot. Inspections in the lower wards are infrequent and only to very specific areas (usually medical centers) before they leave.

The Citadel puts out advisories for people to avoid certain parts of the Wards citing 'health concerns', and update lists of non-compliant or uncleared establishments. Thin'Koris has been working with C-Sec to slowly perform a complete sweep of the Wards, but it will likely be months before anything concrete is decided upon.

Citadel Medical Services: All medical facilities on the Citadel are directly owned by, or otherwise managed by the Citadel. Even so-called 'private' medical practices have to register with Citadel Medical Services who are responsible for providing them with medical supplies and equipment.

All medical care on the Citadel is free at the point of service, subsidized by Citadel taxpayers, and it makes it a _very_ attractive option for new doctors wanting to start a practice, but is less appealing for hospital chains which are unable to make a sustainable profit. Hospitals have been lobbying the subcommittee for years to allow non-Citadel practices, and each time they have been soundly rejected. Thin'Koris appears to be following suit.

Originally there were a number of medical centers which were built and dispersed throughout the Citadel, but since then a number of those have been abandoned as parts of the Wards devolve into criminal warzones or supplemented by independent practices under Citadel support. This has led to an uneven distribution which has sometimes caused problems, with some medical centers being overloaded, and others so close to each other they receive very few patients in total.

Since the Benezia Incident where a large portion of medical facilities were destroyed, CMS is taking advantage of the ability to plan new facilities, and distributing them in a more even manner – and upping the architectural requirements so they are resistant to future attacks.

Another fact worth noting is that CMS also directly manages _all_ medical research that the Citadel is performing, and a surprising number of people are unaware that the Citadel even _has_ a medical research team. But they do exist, and they fall under CMS.

Board of Medical Oversight: The mission of this particular board is one which is particularly broad as it does not apply just to medicine, but _everything_ to do with health. They are most known for setting acceptable medical licenses, and curate a list of institutions whose medical certificates are valid, which has led to the occasional controversy as inevitably there is some medical school of dubious repute who is off the list and people who attended are outraged.

More importantly, the board also serves to ensure that the health industry is complying with the regulations established. The Board has the potential to shut down entire hospital chains, confiscate all types of a certain drug, or approve raids on company facilities if they are suspected of breaking regulations.

The key word being _has_. The board has historically been very, very hesitant to use the power in this way despite numerous instances of the health industry likely breaking regulation. The reason for this is heavy lobbying and corruption. Both the asari and salarians have used this to their advantage, forcing concessions or exclusive research for them in exchange for effective corporate immunity, where the board would look the other way.

The announcement of Thin'Koris being appointed as chairman sent stocks in almost every major health corporation down. Prior to that the Councilor had been signaling that he believed the corporations were too entrenched in the subcommittee, and that some changes would be advised. As it turned out, this was an admittedly smart way to drive the corporations to the table.

Thin'Koris held a meeting with the largest health corporations and basically told them that he wanted very much to work with them – but the continual skirting of the law wasn't going to fly anymore. He gave them a list of 'compromises' and said this was going to be as good as they got, and if they didn't, he'd drive their stock down further.

They held out at first, but the next day Thin'Koris announced that several patents which had been put into approval by Sirta Foundation were being directly seized for immediate Citadel development due to 'an immediate emergency'. This was followed up the next day by an Oversight draft 'leaking' which showed that patents were only likely to be approved if corporations submitted themselves to a full Citadel audit.

This brought the corporations back to the table, and they quite 'happily' accepted Thin'Koris's compromises which seems all the willing to endorse. He reversed the patent seizing, and publicly said that the 'draft' document that leaked was not read and did not represent current regulation. It should be noted that none of the corporations are happy with the arrangement between themselves and Oversight.

An apt quote from a source quite succinctly stated "The only reason we agreed to that outrageous proposal was because if we didn't that fucking suit rat was going to drive us into bankruptcy." There were a few more choice words added, but I suspect the sentiment is conveyed clearly enough.

Committee of Medical Patent Approval: This is a straightforward division which manages the galactic patent library. Basically, if it's not in the library, it doesn't exist. Thus, everyone with even the faintest inclination of innovation rushes to get their latest wonder drug patented before someone else thinks of the same thing.

A slight catch is that the Committee that approves them has expiration dates in place and the regulations are such that multiple patents of the same thing can exist at the same time – the final patent is awarded to the first person who actually _produces_ a prototype or example of what they are trying to do. It does not have to work or be successful – it just has to exist.

Nonetheless, most people do submit for patents before any prototype because it makes the process far simpler and faster than applying for a patent while having a prototype. Once the patent is claimed, the one who owns it has five years to produce a final product before rights to the patent is lost and the process is started over again.

It is a largely fair and uncontroversial system – were it not for a little known regulation that allows the Citadel to technically appropriate any patent for their own usage – something Thin'Koris reminded a lot of people exists. This seems to have existed for at least the past few centuries, but has never been utilized in any meaningful way.

It remains to be seen if that will change, now that Thin'Koris has shown a willingness to do so.

**PERSONNEL OF NOTE – RAITH T'ZELI**: To say that this asari is someone _unique_ would be an understatement. Raith is a former asari commando turned detective turned health inspector. A decidedly unique career path which has transitioned in quite an odd way at her current position of employment.

She is rather infamous for being one of the harshest inspectors on the Citadel, an attention to detail freak who will spare no mercy for infractions. She feared both because of her perfectionism – and because she often performs these inspections with a rifle strapped to her back, as one of the few who is authorized to carry a firearm on the Citadel.

Her reputation is such that quite a few establishments who pass her grueling inspections often specify that 'This establishment has been approved by Raith T'Zeli', and a few have (somehow) worked it into their advertising. She does not seem to be aware of this, or perhaps she is, and she doesn't care.

Now while her work _does_ involve the Praesidium, she is often one of the few inspectors who volunteers to do inspection work in the dangerous parts of the Wards. Almost always these establishments are shocked that anyone came, and incidentally always fail their inspections, which forces them to close down until the health concerns are addressed.

The most infamous example was when she inspected Chora's Den of all places, and was jumped by a few criminal patrons who thought she was C-Sec. She killed both of them, and marked the resulting bloodstains as in violation of health standards – in addition to every other violation she found.

Chora's Den was forced to close down for nearly a week as they cleaned, passed inspection, and promptly tried to sue for damages. The lawsuit was tossed out immediately. There are currently four bounties on her head, though the few times people have tried to collect, she's reminded them of _why_ she was an asari commando.

Quite an interesting character.

**PERSONNEL OF NOTE – VORA LIRN**: There is a chance that this name is familiar to some of you who read this, as Dr. Lirn is one of the RRC's premier scientists on molecular biology. Elderly for a salarian, he is still one of the sharpest individuals alive today, and most recently moved to the Citadel Medical Services' research department.

What he is doing there is extremely classified, but it is suspected to involve some kind of rapid-healing solution. The details are only known to a few people, but what is _also_ worth noting is that he was one of the doctors who personally performed tests on the remains Benezia's corpse, a severed hand. The hand appears to be important to whatever he is working on, and given the modifications that Benezia had, it does not paint a pleasant picture about what the Council has authorized him to do.

Another curious fact is that he's been calling in experts ranging from prothean to tho'ian specialists, to nanite specialists, to a number of others in tangibly related fields. He has notably _not_ accessed the Broker Network, but this was due to an explicit command from the STG (who are obviously managing him) rather than his own unwillingness to do so.

The indications are that the Council _may_ be trying to determine a way to copy some of Benezia's enhancements, but the calling in of so many disparate experts perhaps indicates something else. It is not clear exactly what the Council is wanting to get from this research, but Dr. Lirn would not be making these decisions without reason.

Watch him closely. He may produce something we want to keep an eye on.

* * *

**THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON HABITABILITY**

**CHAIRMAN**: Councilor Tevos T'Sael

**OVERVIEW**: This is one of the subcommittees which a majority of people have likely heard of, especially those who are involved in colonization and planet development. The responsibilities of this subcommittee involve the surveying, classification, and legal management of systems and planets, as well as managing the Galactic Habitability Index, which is the standard for determining if planets are viable or not.

They also manage territorial rights for Citadel members, and can officially allow or deny a species (or any faction) the right to settle or colonize a planet. They are a fairly small subcommittee compared to some of the others, and their focus is very narrow, but they are nonetheless a critical component and something that cannot be avoided for any ambitious species seeking to expand.

**STRUCTURE**: The Subcommittee on Habitability is broken into four divisions:

GHI Management: One of the most powerful divisions in the Citadel is the division which manages the Galactic Habitability Index, the standard for which all Citadel – and even non-Citadel - entities use to judge the habitability of planets. In the unlikely event that anyone reading this is unaware of how the GHI works, I will provide a brief summation.

There are four factors which the GHI takes into account when considering the habitability of a planet: The atmospheric composition, water purity, biological diversity (plants and animals), and soil integrity. These are scored on a scale of one to ten, with ten being the highest score that can be achieved, and one being the lowest.

These scores are combined and the average is taken. The resulting number is the GHI for that planet. There are five different tiers that are recognized by the GHI, and the GHI does not apply to non-celestial bodies such as asteroids. Moons do fall under the GHI. It is important to note that this index only applies to _habitability_. This does _not_ mean that such planets cannot be visited – only that they cannot be colonized. The tiers are as follows:

_Tier I | Uninhabitable | 1-2_: Worlds which are uninhabitable without the utilization of specialized equipment. These include most moons, volcanic worlds, gaseous planets, and most non-oxygen planets.

_Tier II | Minimal Habitability | 3-4_: Worlds which are technically habitable. These planets are generally _not_ recommended to be settled, but it is technically possible to do so as it meets the absolute minimum standards for sustaining life. Most mining worlds fall under this designation.

_Tier III | Acceptable Habitability | 5-6_: These are worlds which make up the majority of colonizable planets. Worlds that can be sustained fairly easily, have a fair amount of biodiversity, and tend to experience mild seasons. They are, however, usually vulnerable to having their rating reduced if they experience rapid and uncontrolled industrialization.

_Tier IV | Habitable | 7-8_: This is viewed as the 'ideal' planet, and is capable of sustaining life for the very long term, has a large range of biodiversity, has temperate weather, healthy soil and water, and in _very_ high demand as well as the most ideal for industrialization. Planets like Ilium were previously classified as Tier IV.

_Tier V | Garden World | 9-10_: These are the absolute most habitable planets that can be imagined. Rich biodiversity; healthy soil, pristine water, no pollution, Garden Worlds are so rare that there are extra regulations surrounding them – such as that their colonization is handled extremely carefully, industrialization is under strict oversight, and cannot be targeted with weapons such as atomic bombs or orbital bombardment. Garden Worlds include those like Thessia and Terra Nova.

Returning to the division, it is one which has achieved no small amount of controversy since it is staunchly non-partisan and classifies planets based on data. This has led to controversies such as the classification of Earth as a Tier II world which sparked outrage in the Systems Alliance, with some insisting that it was part of the 'alien plot to smear our species' when in reality, no, Earth really _is_ that bad.

It's not as though Humans were singled out. Palavan has been given a Tier III classification, and Khar'Shan was similarly given a Tier II classification, though in that instance it came with an asterisk since the investigation of the world was impossible, and they were making determinations with whatever data they could find.

The only species whose homeworlds have been classified as Garden Worlds are the elcor and asari. All others are Tier IV. The classification of the hanar homeworld is unknown, though it is likely either a Tier IV or Garden World.

Citadel Survey Corps: A newer division, the Survey Corps is an initiative proposed by Thin'Koris with the express purpose of helping map out the galaxy for the Citadel. The objectives are fairly wide-reaching, and include finding new systems for colonization, discovering archeological sites, and identifying possible travel concerns.

There is an explicit focus on travel _within_ known relay zones. There is a significant portion of the galaxy which is unexplored, and the Council is interested in learning exactly what they have within the designated 'Citadel Space'. This is fairly unique as the subcommittee actually employs a fleet with scientists, engineers, and explorers and manages them.

It's viewed as one of the more exciting initiatives of the Council, and is viewed very positively.

Colonization Management and Permissions: If there is any group, government, or organization which wants to colonize a world, they _have_ to receive explicit permission from Colonization Management and Permissions. There are no exceptions to this rule. This division has sole control over colonization rights, though is not quite as intimidating as it sounds.

What the applicant must do is provide a reason for settling on the world, prove that they have the resources, manpower, and funding to sustain a long-term colony, and pay the Citadel a minimal fee for review. The division will look it over, determine if there are any complications or competing colonial settlers, and then render a verdict.

The division only grants colonization rights to applicants who will be able to survive. Generally, having the support of a government is best since there is an additional support entity if things go bad, but as the wildcat colonies have shown, you do not need to be connected to a government to receive rights to settle in the Traverse.

This division does have to manage a balance of awarding colonial rights to state-backed settlers, as doing it poorly could lead to territorial disputes. The reason they were giving so many to humans is that previously no one outside the batarians was willing to settle in the Traverse, and the Council absolutely did _not_ want the batarians expanding, and humans were the perfect party to back.

It is a very powerful body, and one which has shown its willingness to deny rights if they do not align with Citadel goals and objectives.

Citadel Ecological Development: This is less of a practical division, and more of a funding one. It primarily deals with ecological projects which receive the support of the Council, and all of the funding which comes with such appointments. The CED receives petitions from groups and governments across the Citadel, all of which ask for funding for a specific ecological project from water purification prototypes, to helping purify an ocean on a certain world, to genetically modified crops that can thrive on Tier II worlds.

The CED has partnered with a number of ecologically-focused corporations, six in total, all of whom have seats on the leadership board, who help provide the expertise in determining which projects to back, and which ones to pass on. Since its foundation, the Citadel has spent billions of credits on various ecological projects with mixed results.

This is partially due to some investments simply not working out legitimately, but there is significant corporate influence that contributes to this statistic, as for most legitimate ideas, they are either sabotaged, bought out, or in rare cases suffer 'accidents'. Coincidentally, after these tragic events, some of these individuals turn up later as employees of these corporations, or a new product is unveiled which is suspiciously familiar to one which didn't work out under the CED investment.

There is a miniature corporate war going on, as all of the corporations are rivals with each other, and want to monetize the projects themselves. Sparatus has reportedly told Tevos that if she doesn't get CED in line, he's going to instruct a SPECTRE to perform an audit and investigation of every single company involved.

Since that meeting, half of the corporate board has departed, and replacements are being debated now.

**PERSONNEL OF NOTE - MORIS**: It would not be a respectable subcommittee if the elcor were not included in it. Moris is in something of an odd position, because he sits on board of the CED as one of the overseeing members, and is not involved with any corporation. He notably views the corporations neutrally, but admittedly an elcor having strong feelings on anything would be a surprise.

With that said, one of the subject Moris is passionate about is ecology, and that is no surprise considering that is his background. He has a very specific type of project he pushes; he prefers to directly help out for smaller, more individual projects as opposed to larger endeavors, which he sees as too corporatized.

Incidentally, most of the corporations tend not to significantly care about the smaller projects (one such one was a human project purifying one of the Great Lakes), tending to dismiss them as too small-scale to be worth the investment. Moris often pushes for these projects to receive funding, and with the massive budget of the CED, it usually gets approved.

He is viewed rather positively by everyone who he interacts with because he isn't one of those who gives his stamp of approval and never reaches out again. Moris will make an effort to keep in contact with the project in question, and work to get them additional funding or resources if they need them. It should be noted that his projects have a significantly higher success rate, if also more expensive.

He is notable because he stands in stark contrast to the rest of the CED – and if anyone is safe from removal, it is him.

**PERSONNEL OF NOTE – KORA'DALE NAR SALADIN**: There are doubtless some individuals who will read this and believe that they read it wrong. This is understandable, as not too long ago, the infamous quarian exile smuggler was one of the most notorious operatives in the Terminus Systems.

Purportedly exiled due to acquiring and researching geth without Admiralty approval, 'Captain Kora' – also called the self-styled 'Pirate's Bane' – willingly accepted his exile and struck out to Omega where he fell in with a group of smugglers, and subsequently took it over. This makes sense when you remember that Kora'Dale was a _techmarine_.

In the lawless Terminus, it is very typical for pirates to run down smuggling ships, both because they are easy prey, and because there is no retribution for taking out a smuggler. Kora, aware of this issue, decided he would turn the tables. Together with his small smuggling band, he used the small ship as bait, and when the pirates boarded, expecting an easy target, they were slaughtered by a prepared techmarine.

Since then, Kora has commanded the _Saladin_, and it has become one of the most well-equipped smuggling vessels in the Terminus. His reputation is helped by the fact that he's good at his job. He's done work for Aria, the Blue Suns, the Terminus Clan, and many others – the only place he does _not_ operate is Citadel territory, citing a desire to not attract the attention of C-Sec.

C-Sec eventually found him though – but they wanted to work with him. Packages from point A to point B. Missions which eventually involved Citadel Intelligence and other parties, though Kora never found out about the details. But he was more than willing to add the Council to his list of clients, and has worked with them for some years.

Now, why is this relevant?

It is because since this point, Kora was tapped to play a special role in the Citadel Survey Corps. The Council is wary about sending out survey ships to uncharted areas, and not willing to give significant military escorts. So an alternate solution was proposed – Kora and his crew would perform the first runs of routes, collect preliminary data, and prepare for the second wave.

If there are any pirates, he is given full license to 'deal with them'. It is an arrangement that Kora has found quite lucrative, and allows him to stay on the good side of the Citadel. Since his contract was struck, the _Saladin_ has taken out a dozen pirate ships, and word appears to be spreading that Kora is working exclusively for the Citadel. The human Corsairs have even given him an honorary letter of marque. (Humans.)

Something to note is that he wants nothing to do with the quarians, and does not care whatsoever about finding a new homeworld. He doesn't flaunt that he's an exile, but he doesn't hide it either. He does, however, _despise_ Golo for unknown reasons, and will not work with him under any circumstances. He's also not friendly to quarian pilgrims, though will direct them elsewhere, and will take other exiles on his crew.

A final note about Kora is that he has developed something of a fascination with pirates. Not the ones he fights (although he does take souvenirs), but old Earth naval pirates, and has paid quite a few credits for antiques like spyglasses, sabers, model ships, and books about infamous pirates like Blackbeard and Kidd. He is also known to occasionally wear a feathered hat when commanding his ship, though we have no footage confirming if this is true or not.

* * *

**THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON SCIENCE**

**CHAIRMAN**: Councilor Erdat Valern

**OVERVIEW**: There are two things which the Subcommittee on Science is known for. The first is for setting scientific regulations and standards, as well as approving various projects and programs run by corporations and governments. The second is the management and research of biotics.

Outside of the asari, the Citadel runs one of the most robust biotics programs in Citadel space, a fact which most of the galaxy is unaware of, despite it being public knowledge. Funding has slowly increased towards their biotics programs and research over the centuries, though this is kept under the radar because the Citadel typically does not publish or share results – at least openly.

Some of this secrecy can be attributed to Valern's management, who has directly overseen a number of Citadel biotic projects, and slowly altered the regulations around biotic research to exempt the Cube from certain oversight and methods. Interestingly, a notable minority of people have asked themselves exactly _why_ the Citadel Biotic Corps is ranked as one of the strongest biotic units in operation, nor why Citadel Intelligence has an entire science department devoted to biotic research – and who also work _directly_ with the Cube.

Very curious.

This will be more deeply discussed in the specific section, but what is important is that the primary mission of the Subcommittee on Science is to facilitate the Citadel's biotics research programs. Everything else is secondary. Yes, the subcommittee sets standards and regulations, yes they fund projects and technological endeavors, but is that the _goal_? No, the evidence points against this assumption.

**STRUCTURE**: There are three divisions which make up the Subcommittee on Science:

Board of Scientific Standards: Composed almost entirely of scientists of all fields, the Board has a straightforward mission which is regulating scientific activity and procedure for Citadel space, as well as enforcement of said standards. If something does not meet these standards, it cannot be sold, researched, or produced in Citadel space. That is how it is supposed to work.

There is very little worth noting about this division, in all honesty. There is no duplicity or machinations worth noting, largely because anything which is actually controversial is already made outside of Citadel space, and the Board only becomes involved after the dirty work is done and a product is ready for approval.

The only thing worth noting here is that while regulations on biotic research and development are strict, there are qualifiers and vague wording as they relate to 'Aspects that concern the safety and protection of Citadel space'. There is another component to the Cube's operations, but that will be explained shortly.

The Council Project Department: The function of this division is actually similar to the equivalent on the Subcommittee of Habitability. Namely, they are a group of appointed scientists, government officials, and corporate representatives which review project proposals for either approval for research, production, or who are looking to receive official Citadel investment.

For the most part, the Citadel does not fund most projects – though they _do_ a significant number of approvals and various inspections. Depending on the size, there may be Council observers who are sent to make sure the project is being completed to standards. There are times where the Council will invest in a project, but those are few and far between. The Council appears to prefer to keep an air of neutrality, and do not want to be seen as being overly supportive of one species over another, or a certain corporation over another.

This is in contrast to the division in the Subcommittee of Habitability where those politics somehow don't apply. The reason that exists here is because Valern wants as little attention on the Subcommittee on Science as possible, because it could invite scrutiny against the Cube, and he _does not want that_.

Thus, the Council Project Department is largely uncontroversial, under the radar, and runs with the intent to not cause controversy. It performs its function well enough, but to nowhere the extent of some equivalent bodies.

The Cube: Here we come to the primary reason why the Subcommittee on Science exists.

The Cube is known as one of the most unique structures on the Citadel because – as the name implies – it is a cube, which has captured the attention of a remarkable number of people on the Citadel. It is actually not originally Citadel architecture, but it _was_ one of the earliest buildings constructed by the Citadel.

Most people know of it as a 'biotic gym' if that term actually exists. An elite biotic school and obstacle course which runs specialized biotic challenges daily, and hosts biotic competitions, as well as the annual Citadel Biotic Championship which draws people from all across Citadel space.

Some of the galaxy's best biotics offer training which governments pay premiums for, since these include turian cabal instructors, war priestesses, and even salarian assault adepts. The closest equivalent is that this is effectively the Systems Alliance's Pinnacle Station – but for biotics.

With such a public profile, it begs the question of _why_ it is so connected to the Subcommittee on Science and why Valern wants it to keep flying under the radar – or more specifically, keep people thinking it is something it really is not. There are two massive stories to the Cube: the ground floor is the 'gym' where biotic training takes place and competitions are held. The top floor is devoted to a museum which details the history of biotics and biotic sciences. Neither of these floors are important.

What _is_ important is that the Cube does not consist of these two floors. The public _thinks_ they do, but in reality, there are two additional floors which extend under the ground. Most of the staff of the upper floors of the Cube have no idea this exists, or believe it is only for storage and maintenance.

The third floor is devoted to biotic research and surgery. This is one of the most well-funded biotic research outfits that is currently in operation – perhaps _the_ best funded. Very interestingly, it is also one of the most ruthless Citadel black operations to exist. Experimental biotic cybernetics, dangerous eezo therapy, Thessian biotic baths, every single method and theory for the enhancement of biotic potential is tested down here with oversight only coming from Citadel Intelligence and the Council.

Now, the obvious question is how _any_ of this is legal.

Technically, the Cube is outside Citadel Space.

This makes little sense, obviously, but as I said – it is technical. There is a very small exemption buried deep in tomes of regulation within the Subcommittee on Privacy and Intelligence which specifies that a certain set of coordinates is 'outside the bounds of Citadel authority', which translates to a black site.

Yes, the Council is running a blacksite in plain sight. This only covers the _third_ level, mind you. It becomes even odder on the last one. Briefly staying on this floor, the only ones who have an actual idea of what goes on on a day-to-day basis are the Cube staff on the third floor. None of the Council is really appraised to maintain plausible deniability.

They simply accept whatever comes out of there. Every single individual of the Citadel Biotic Corps is sent to the Cube for 'final augments' and they return as some of the most dangerous biotics which are fielded. You likely have not heard of them because there are only a few instances where they _have_ been fielded.

An interesting fact – the Biotic Corps was in action during the Benezia Incident and they suffered almost a 10% fatality rate. _Every_ single member of the Corps was stationed on the Citadel at the time, and they suffered unnervingly low casualties despite this. This has not been covered extensively, but that can be attributed to the Council, CINT, and the Cube keeping it quiet.

No reason to spread that fact around unnecessarily.

The lowest floor of the Cube is where our intelligence was surprisingly minimal. There are a very, very small number of individuals who are employed at this level, and the ones we have been able to identify do not seem to have histories. They are not registered as citizens or are supposed to be dead.

The most concrete piece of information that was able to be acquired was that the Cube was studying an artifact of some kind. Descriptions on it ranged from some kind of teal orb, to something which sounds suspiciously like a prothean beacon. The problem is that there is no consistent story or evidence for _any_ of this.

However, it seems likely that there is some kind of artifact the Cube is studying, and may in fact be the reason the Cube was built in the first place. There are many, many irregularities and artifacts within the Citadel as this report has unveiled, and one which could be tied to element zero or biotics? That is very feasible.

It would be beneficial to know exactly what secrets the Cube holds.

**PERSONNEL OF NOTE – NICK DONAHUE**: If the Humans have a poster child biotic who is _not_ their pet fake Commissar Jack Iriordan , Nick Donahue would probably qualify as the second-best choice. He was one of the first human biotics, and the greatest success of the Ascension Project. He was paraded around to endless media fawning and adoration, with a backstory written to evoke tragedy as both of his parents had perished in a pirate attack, and who had grown up in the slums of Earth.

All engineered by the Alliance to break the boy, and rebuild him through the Ascension Project. At the time the Alliance was not interested in the long-term effects of the science – they only knew that they needed biotics, and did whatever was necessary to get them, even relying on asari help.

The Ascension Project was composed almost exclusively of eezo-exposed orphans, and suffered a near thirty-percent casualty rate as the Alliance pushed these kids to the breaking point and beyond. The result was a group of psychologically shattered, but powerful biotics. Mental conditioning turned their broken minds into something usable, though as the Alliance biotic program progressed, most of these biotics were phased out.

One who was not was Nick. Somehow, he emerged with his sanity and the Alliance seized on this. He was not the most powerful success of the Ascension Project, but he _was_ the most stable, and therefore the most marketable. He 'enjoyed' several years of an Alliance-sponsored life before they effectively discharged him. They didn't consider him capable of military application due to his high profile and capabilities compared to military-trained biotics.

The Ascension Project, after all, had largely been a massive experiment, and not meant to produce something workable. A stepping stone to something better.

That would have been the end of his relevancy, were he not approached by Citadel Biotic Corps for potential recruitment. The Alliance was more than happy to hand him over, knowing it would boost the profile of humanity to be joining the Corps, especially as one of the first true Human biotics.

As Nick was one of the earliest human biotics, he and the Alliance knew that he likely only had years to live before the side effects took hold and he died tragically. Nick was supposed to have died approximately ten years ago.

However, he is still very much alive.

The Citadel Biotic Corps will be covered shortly, but Nick was sent into the Cube shortly after recruitment, and emerged almost multiple times stronger than the most powerful human biotic at the time. The Alliance did not know this, of course, but Biotic Corps records and footage shows that Nick was an extremely powerful biotic – far more so than anyone expected.

Medical scans acquired show that he is suffering from no neural degradation or cancers typical of biotics of that time period. He should be dead several times over, and yet he is not. There is very little chance that the procedure he underwent in the Cube is not connected to this. Since his recruitment, he has reached the rank of Citadel Biotic Commander, and answered directly to the Corps Master.

The Alliance has no idea why he is still alive, and Nick at this point is too well-protected (and trained) to remove and interrogate. He lives on the Citadel with his asari wife (also one of the Biotic Corps), and from what we have learned, he is almost hoping that the Alliance decides to come after him.

Quite an interesting individual, and an example of the kind of work the Cube produces.

**PERSONNEL OF NOTE – AKKA PALAVANUS**: I present the current Director of the Cube's Research Operations.

Why is a Palavanus in charge of the Citadel's biotic blacksite? Because at this point, why not?

To seriously answer the question of what Akka Palavanus is doing, we must first address the question of who he _is_. Akka is not someone you would find by accident – though it might raise some eyebrows. Akka has been deeply involved in the turian Cabal project, and is an unknown expert in all things biotics.

He keeps up to date on all biotic developments, has toured biotic boot camps on Thessia, Arcturus, and Sur'Kesh. He's trained with war priestesses and battle adepts. If it isn't apparent, he is a biotic and is every bit as dangerous as that implies. This is not made public for obvious reasons, especially to other turians, but he is a very powerful one, though he prefers to see himself as a scientist more than a warrior.

It's not entirely clear _how_ Valern learned of him, though it might have been coincidental as Akka had made several trips to the public levels of the Cube, and it's not unlikely that he had determined there was more to it than was obvious. We do know that it wasn't long ago that Valern was seeking a director for the Cube's science operations, and Sparatus put forward Akka due to his work with the cabal.

It appears that Valern was both surprised and extremely pleased that a Palavanus was interested in the role, though was initially hesitant about allowing a Palavanus into such a sensitive project. A conversation with Akka seemed to sway him, and he was appointed as the research director for the Cube.

It's difficult to pinpoint exactly _what_ Akka is overseeing, but what is known is that since the Benezia Incident, the Citadel Biotic Corps have effectively _doubled_ in size, the augments they are using are near or equivalent to _asari_-grade cybernetics, and staff for the Cube research operations has similarly grown.

Funding for the Cube itself has been greatly increased, and even if it remains something of a mystery as to what Akka is directly overseeing, it appears that Valern is pleased with his performance.

* * *

**THE SUBCOMMITTEE OF DIPLOMACY AND INTEGRATION**

**CHAIRMAN**: Councilor Donnel Udina

**OVERVIEW**: Officially the first 'new' subcommittee since the foundation of Citadel Council, the Subcommittee of Diplomacy and Integration is one which is _long_ overdue for actual establishment, and it is honestly extremely surprising that one such subcommittee did not exist prior to this.

But accompanying the restructuring of the subcommittees, the proposal was put forward and unanimously approved. There exists some degree of irony that Councilor Udina was nominated as chairman, though considering he was one of the major proponents of the proposal, in addition to one of the only councilors who expressed an interest in managing it, it is not surprising he was appointed to the position.

As the name implies, this subcommittee is responsible for handling the diplomatic functions of the Citadel, as well as now serving as the primary mechanism for integrating new species into the Citadel. The process has been overhauled with heavy human and quarian input, and Udina has made no secret that he is heavily slanting the subcommittee towards less-represented species or those historically ignored or overlooked by the Council.

The irony continues also due to this subcommittee having one of the more diverse collections of personnel out of the subcommittees – which is not something expected from a human-led subcommittee. This could be Udina playing politics to dispel the image of humans as xenophobic, or it could be a legitimate intention of his he believes.

Regardless, this has become one of the most prominent subcommittees in the realm of public opinion, and also the one which interacts most with outside bodies including media outlets, racial governments, and third parties.

**STRUCTURE**: There are three major divisions in the Subcommittee of Diplomacy and Integration:

The Citadel Diplomatic Corps: The official diplomatic arm of the Citadel, the Diplomatic Corps have always existed in some form or another, though they were largely undefined, underfunded, and stuck behind bureaucratic red tape since they didn't _fit_ anywhere under the subcommittees. Now that there exists an actual diplomatic subcommittee, they have found their proper place.

The mission is straightforward – the Diplomatic Corps work as the arm of the Council to factions, governments, and organizations beyond the purview of the Council. These include corporations, the Terminus Systems, mercenary outfits, and foreign governments such as the hanar and batarians.

The numbers of the corps have swelled to twice their original number, and they are seeing a significant amount of work as the Council works to exercise their newfound ability to extend their diplomatic reach. While the Corps are primarily filled with mostly asari, a large number of humans have also recently been recruited, with a minority of turians and salarians.

It is reasonable to suspect that a portion of the Asari are Discerning or controlled by them, and that a number of human diplomats are also AIS, but as that is expected, it is not a significant concern – but it should be clear that these diplomats aren't always necessarily working solely for the Council.

The Membership Approval Committee: This represents the official process for which species can become members of the Citadel. Previously this process was directly controlled by the Council, and now has been moved to this subcommittee. It sets the expectations, requirements, and streamlines the process for entry.

It also serves as the 'first contact' division, and directly manages the Council response to the discovery of new species, and works to catalogue their language, culture, and inform the new species on the state of galactic affairs. The intention is to make the process of becoming a Citadel member a smooth one.

Notably, this committee is dominated by humans, turians, and quarians who have worked to significantly change the requirements of entry to be more stringent. This is almost certainly directed at species like the batarians, with their practice of slavery, flaunting of Citadel law, and piracy.

The regulations are very much targeted, and there was unsurprisingly no major resistance to effectively making it impossible for the batarians to ever rejoin the Citadel, or anyone like them. Curiously, the asari have a limited presence on the committee, though it is possible they did not believe it as especially important, as the likelihood of encountering a new species diminishes with each passing year.

One power that the committee _does_ have which is worth considering is the removal of a species from the Citadel. This is not an automatic power, but one which can be recommended to the Council who can then act. With this said, the likelihood of a species being removed from the Citadel in the future is exceedingly small.

The Intra-Relations Department: If the Citadel Diplomatic Corps are the Council's exterior diplomatic arm, the Intra-Relations is the inverse. If there are disputes, issues, or formal contact between Citadel members, it is the Intra-Relations Department which facilitates or handles them.

The Council has encouraged that such disputes are preferably settled quietly and privately through this department, and it maintains a full staff of diplomats and mediators to ensure that issues are settled quickly and fairly for all involved. Each Citadel species has representation to some degree, and for fairness most disputes are settled by a diplomat who is not one of the species in questions.

It is achieving some degree of success, although for now it is being used to address or settle smaller disputes, and most Citadel species are preferring to hold gov-to-gov talks and cutting out the department entirely. Non-Council species are utilizing it more, including the volus and elcor, and the asari have made a show of support by moving much of their internal talks through the department.

**PERSONNEL OF NOTE – NESARIUM VAKASSA**: There is ultimately only one individual associated with this subcommittee who is legitimately worth noting, and that is Nesarium Vakassa, one of the most accomplished asari diplomats of all time. A matron just about to hit her matriarch years, her career has largely alternated between working under the Thirty and for the Citadel for various tasks.

She was one of the asari involved in initial talks with the humans and extremely involved in their eventual integration. She is highly regarded by everyone who knows her, and even humans appreciate her for the work she did in getting them into the Citadel. She has since moved to the Intra-Relations Department as a mediator.

Why is this important?

Well, partially to do because seven centuries of living have given Nesarium significant connections on and throughout the Citadel, from C-Sec to the SIX themselves – not to mention certain turian and volus circles. She's one of the most well-connected asari alive, and thus it should not be surprising to learn that she is connected to the Discerning.

There is conflicting information on if she _is_ actually Discerning, or if she is part of _managing_ the Discerning. Either possibility is valid, though we have more evidence to suggest that she is involved with directly handling Discerning operatives, making her one of the elusive ringleaders of the asari subversion program.

It is not surprising that she would move to the diplomatic arm of the Citadel, as that is where she thrives, and working to shape and solve disputes between members both presents her as a neutral figure who others may rely on, as well as portray the asari in a benevolent light. The asari are taking a risk in putting her there, especially when the department is seeing mixed engagement, but word _has_ spread, and the fact that she is involved with it gives it a legitimacy it previously did not have.

Councilor Udina himself has said that he appreciates her contributions, and that she sets the standard for the Intra-Relations Department. That kind of endorsement matters to the right people, and if the department ever starts handling serious intra-member issues, the influence that Nesarium will have will be immense.

* * *

**THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON PRIVACY AND INTELLIGENCE**

**CHAIRMAN**: Councilor Erdat Valern

**OVERVIEW**: This would doubtless be one of the most contentious and hotly debated subcommittees on the Citadel were it not for the fact that no one knows it exists. The only proof people have that the Subcommittee on Privacy and Intelligence exists is the _assumption_ that the Council has a secret group which handles these matters.

A majority of people assume that such concerns are generally covered by the Subcommittee on Sentient Rights, but as we have established, this is far from the case. The mission and goals of the Subcommittee on Privacy and Intelligence are vast and far-reaching into the lives of those who live in Citadel space.

In short, this subcommittee is responsible for providing 'oversight' to Citadel Intelligence, Citadel Security, and writing and authorizing all regulation on privacy and exactly _what_ organs like Citadel Intelligence are capable of doing legally. There are swaths of regulations and laws which none of the public is aware of.

If it isn't clear, the 'civilian' aspect of this subcommittee is laughably absent. All of the divisions are staffed with Citadel Security, Citadel Intelligence, 'former' STG, 'former' AIS, Asari Discerning, and a mixture of technical experts, hackers, and people who don't exactly believe in the concept of 'digital privacy'.

What is wholly unsurprising is that Councilor Valern is overseeing it, because if you're going to be managing a spy organization, why not put a spy in charge? In the entire history of the Council, there have been only a handful of non-Salarian (read: STG) chairmen, and Valern is no exception.

**STRUCTURE**: There are five divisions within the Subcommittee on Privacy and Intelligence, which are listed below:

Citadel Intelligence Oversight: Ostensibly, the Citadel Intelligence Oversight exists to provide civilian oversight for Citadel Intelligence (CINT). Their responsibilities include setting operational standards, legal accountability, preventing privacy abuses, and advising the CINT Director on actions they can take.

In reality, CIO is an arm of Citadel Intelligence, which has been allowed by the entire Council, especially in the last few centuries. By virtue of being a private subcommittee, there is absolutely no outside pressure for it to reform or push against what CINT wants, and what CINT wants falls in line with the general views of C-Sec and the Council.

This is not to say there is no accountability, but that is reserved for when CINT _significantly_ screws up in a mission. Nothing more or less. CINT has vast powers in Citadel space, and the only curtailing factor comes from outside racial intelligence agencies who would prefer that their own operations on the Citadel not be threatened.

There has been a miniature civil war within the subcommittee, between CINT officials who want full access to anything on the Citadel, and the intelligence agencies who want some of their capabilities curtailed out of purely selfish reasons, not for any grand ideal. The latter have been steadily losing influence, especially as Valern has come out fully on the side of CINT… while compromising by vastly expanding intelligence sharing agreements between CINT and outside parties.

CIO is staffed with, as you would expect, advisors from CINT, but the majority who make up the leadership are former intelligence, former detectives, or other people who are generally inclined to be supportive of CINT efforts. This would more accurately be called Citadel Intelligence Accountability. There is no oversight here. Not truly.

AVINA Directors: This is a very recent creation, which is the result of CIO permitting the leveraging of the AVINA VI for intelligence purposes. Previously AVINA was something actually off-limits for any kind of data harvesting, but continual pressure by C-Sec and Citadel Intelligence eventually resulted in a massive back-end project to retrofit the VI to collect and funnel data streams to CINT and C-Sec (this has also been an extremely useful network to tap into as well, and is a benefit to our own operations).

In short, AVINA has been turned into a Citadel-wide data harvester, which C-Sec is leveraging for finding wanted individuals, pinpointing crime scenes, and gathering evidence, while CINT is leveraging it for similar objectives. The project was only completed recently – and remarkably – ahead of schedule.

This was only due to the fact that the Benezia Incident required the replacement of most AVINA stations. There was to be a months-long plan to covertly phase in the modified AVINA hardware, but since they had an excuse, they simply did it all at once and the network is up and running today.

The AVINA Directors are responsible for setting regulations regarding AVINA, including the scope of its programming, exterior capabilities, and handling outside workers and contractors. It should be also noted that there is serious talk taking place about expanding AVINA to manage an automated defense force in case the Citadel is attacked again.

It remains to be seen if this will go anywhere, but all options are on the table.

Committee on Surveillance and Permissions: This is, in theory, supposed to serve as another check on CINT and C-Sec, as this division manages permissions for acquiring surveillance warrants and in theory should only give them out if there is probable cause. In reality it serves as a rubber-stamp for almost any request submitted by CINT or C-Sec.

The only check it serves against _anyone_ is foreign intelligence services (AIS, STG, etc.), who can petition the court for either permission to conduct surveillance on targets which pose a danger to Citadel citizens, or to acquire intelligence gathered by CINT or C-Sec. The Committee is historically resistant to approving foreign spying on the Citadel, but there have been a few rare cases where exceptions were granted.

The Committee has fairly extensive authority. They can approve surveillance warrants on anyone, as well as deny them. All SPECTREs are on a whitelist, forbidding any legal surveillance gathering, which is something which significantly hindered the Saren investigation, as even if the Committee _wanted_ to approve it, they were legally tied until Saren's SPECTRE status was removed.

Reportedly, Valern has been maneuvering to begin changing regulations to not make SPECTREs exempt from this regulation 'If there is substantial proof that they are engaged in actions which could cause harm to the Citadel or her interests'. Saren is being used as the justification, but I believe that this is _also_ preparation for Valern beginning a purge of SPECTREs who are connected to the Broker Network.

Valern has doubtless known that SPECTREs have utilized the network and done tasks for us, so this either signals that he no longer necessarily views the Broker as reliable, or he is interested in modifying the immunity that SPECTREs currently possess. More information will need to be acquired.

The Committee on Intelligence Cooperation and Sharing: One of Valern's initiatives, this committee is composed of intelligence representatives from across the Citadel, which include AIS, STG, CINT, Asari Discerning, and Unseen Cloud. They are, of course, not directly representing such agencies, but are merely representing their species governments.

In reality, everyone knows who represents who.

The purpose of the subcommittee is to set the standards for intelligence sharing, not just between CINT and others, but also between various racial governments. Valern intends for this to act as a centralized intelligence hub where important information can be shared quickly and directly. Ever so slowly, the various intelligence agencies appear to be coming around.

None of them are ever going to be sharing truly valuable information, but the Committee has led to increased intelligence sharing across the board, and Valern has successfully coxed them into working together against common threats. Minor terrorists, crime lords, uncontroversial figures which show the benefits of coordination over traditional measures.

This is almost certainly Valern laying the groundwork for when the Reaper threat becomes more pronounced and clear – he has calculated that they will be willing to coordinate to defend against the Reaper threat, and if they are already used to intelligence sharing to this degree, it will be a simple matter of transitioning to a much more serious threat.

The Dredgen Initiative: Another very recent initiative, established after the Benezia Incident and _also_ after the Reaper threat was determined, this is a division headed by Salia Dredgen, which has a very narrow purpose – Reaper counterintelligence operations. Technically, it is the 'civilian' oversight of the _actual_ Dredgen Division within CINT.

In short, the Dredgen Initiative maintains the Dredgen observation and kill list, which is a short list of individuals who are suspected to be indoctrinated or otherwise acting as Reaper operatives. Suspected individuals are under an 'observation' list, and known indoctrinated individuals are on the 'kill' list.

Only this division has the authorization to put any individual under observation or order their termination. What is remarkable about this is that the powers of the Dredgen lists are _extraordinary_ – and subsequently has _extreme_ standards of proof. This is because, technically, any individual can be placed on the Dredgen lists – including heads of state.

Representatives from each government each have equal seats as a check on abuse (including the elcor, interestingly enough). This shows that Valern (and the rest of the Council) is taking the Reaper threat seriously, and are willing to go to extreme measures to prevent _any_ kind of Reaper infiltration.

The fact that this applies beyond Citadel space is also notable. This, for all intents and purposes, applies to the entire galaxy. If Aria, for example, were ever to begin showing signs of indoctrination, she could be approved by the Dredgen Initiative for termination and the Council would send a SPECTRE or the Dredgen Division operative to carry it out.

Valern has taken measures to prevent the politicization of the Dredgen list, and thus far the checks and balances seem to be holding. Observing the actions of this division is heavily advised.

**PERSONNEL OF NOTE – PATRA IOT**: A computational genius, Patra Iot is (unsurprisingly) a 'former' STG coder and renowned as one of the greatest VI designers who is currently alive. Most of his work was within STG as well as the RRC, as well as publishing several papers through the latter concerning VI architecture.

More recently, he has been providing consultation services for C-Sec, and was the one who initially proposed the AVINA Project, seeing the potential for the Citadel-wide VI to be used as a tool of C-Sec for their operations. Citadel Intelligence found out, and backed his proposal until it was finally approved by the subcommittee.

He was project lead, and it is through his efforts that the project was completed so quickly _and_ that it performs as intended. He remains on as one of the AVINA Directors, and was also subsequently the one to float the idea of an automated AVINA defense network. If there is someone who is capable of pulling it off, it would be him.

**PERSONNEL OF NOTE – MOIRA PALAVANUS**: Valern's success with the Committee on Intelligence Cooperation and Sharing thus far can be attributed in large part to the efforts of Moira Palavanus, a fairly young Palavanus that Valern made the acquaintance of some years ago.

It perhaps goes without saying, but the fact that there has been a number of Palavanus who have been documented in this report, is both a sign of concern, and a sign that the Palavanus are likely afraid of the Reaper threat considering their sudden involvement in multiple Citadel institutions and subcommittees.

Her role in the division has largely to chart a path for getting the various intelligence agencies to willingly cooperate with each other. Knowingly or unknowingly, no one gets on this committee without Moira directly signaling her approval. From that point, she is the primacy architect of what takes place.

Initiatives, document drafting, and agreements are spearheaded by her, and specifically tailored to eventually engender even _some_ trust between these agencies who are historically suspicious of each other. She has taken Valern's overall strategy and refined it to a point where she is no longer the one taking the initiative, and agencies are sharing some pieces of information willingly or proposing universal targets.

Granted, it largely remains cooperation against universally despised state threats, but Moria views that as an acceptable start. She is waiting for the first test of the division to come, because that will determine if this experiment is viable, or if it is doomed to failure.

**PERSONNEL OF NOTE – SALIA DREDGEN**: Salia Dredgen, Blackwatch operative, C-Sec veteran, and the woman who spearheaded the Dredgen Initiative. She is one of the most accomplished turians on the Citadel who most people have never heard of. If people know of her, they most likely know she was a C-Sec detective, and are unaware of her Blackwatch history.

Salia was deeply affected by Saren's betrayal, and later lost her son during the Benezia Incident which later drove her to begin proposing an initiative to preemptively detect and remove individuals who were indoctrinated similar to Saren. She was a very high-ranking detective within C-Sec, so was aware of the truth of the Reapers and indoctrination, and access to this spurred her proposal.

Another point worth considering is that she, like many in C-Sec, does not like the SPECTREs, and she attributes their universal immunity as a reason for why Saren was found and removed earlier. In her view, the Benezia Incident could have been prevented if SPECTREs were not considered above the law.

She did not appear to expect her proposal to go anywhere, but it somehow found its way into the CINT Director's hands, who circulated it around until Valern learned of it and began exploring a viable way of integration. Both CINT and Valern approached her, wanting to know how deeply she had planned her initiative.

Since that initial meeting, CINT has established the Dredgen Division, and as explained above, the Subcommittee on Privacy and Intelligence contains the Dredgen Initiative which Salia currently heads. Under normal circumstances, a program like this would never be considered, much less implemented. But due to the effects of indoctrination in combination with what is known about the Reapers, Valern was able to successfully convince the Council of the necessity of this division.

She is the final approval on the Dredgen lists, and subsequently, this makes her one of the most powerful turians alive. Watch her.

* * *

**THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON PRECURSOR MATTERS**

**CHAIRMAN**: Councilor Thin'Koris

**OVERVIEW**: Created shortly after the Benezia Incident and the reorganization of the subcommittees, the Subcommittee on Precursor Matters was established as a private subcommittee with the express mission of addressing the Reaper threat. The Council made a deliberate decision to _not_ publicly escalate preparations against the Reapers due to a fear of public backlash and a spike in panic.

The name itself is neutral enough that it does not explicitly relate to the Reapers, but generalized 'precursors'. The Council is in a position where if it was ever discovered, it could be spun as a controlled prothean research wing. In reality, it obviously relates to research and matters that pertain directly to the Reapers.

The Council is running _all_ of their largest projects out of this subcommittee, as well as their most secret. Everything that can be done without an outright galactic mobilization is being done, even as the Council tells the galaxy that all is well.

**STRUCTURE**: The Subcommittee on Precursor Matters is composed of four divisions:

Citadel Reclamation Service: This body originally operated out of the Subcommittee of Science, and was much smaller in personnel, resources, and equipment. It often operated, not with any significant authority, but more of a Citadel oversight group. Just to make sure the Council was aware of what had been discovered, but very little was actually brought under _direct_ Citadel control.

That has now changed.

The laws and regulations have been significantly revised since the Benezia Incident. The Reclamation Service has full authority to go to any site where there are precursor remnants and seize it by order of the Citadel. It does require that the entities which performed the initial discovery be compensated, but if, for example, you find a prothean beacon? That is now claimed by the Citadel.

And if you are stupid enough to stand your ground and go to court? You'll be _lucky_ if you lose. You will definitely lose. You are also more likely to be driven to bankruptcy and arrested for refusing a direct order from the Citadel Reclamation Service. This organization is very powerful, and their numbers are growing as the Council scavenges for every single artifact and relic of the precursor races.

They rightly view these artifacts as their only hope to face the Reaper threat. If it will matter is a different argument entirely.

Citadel Precursor Research and Adaption: This is a very politically correct way of saying 'precursor-derived technology' or 'anti-Reaper' research. This is the largest division in the subcommittee, and involves thousands of engineers, scientists, archeologists, and specialists whose sole mission is to take prothean, griannon, inusannon, arthenn, or any other precursor relics and derive something useful out of them.

There are over a dozen major projects ongoing, with some of the finest scientific minds contributing, from the RRC to the Palavanus themselves. There is a frantic air about the division, since everyone in it seems to know that, no matter what comes next, their fates and lives depend on what they are able to produce.

This division has not even produced prototypes yet, but based on several of the schematics and simulations, some of what is being developed _appears_ promising. This is not necessarily the dream team of innovation, but as far as the Council is concerned, it will have to be good enough.

The Citadel Defense Initiative: How does a galaxy prepare for a potential wide-scale conflict?

That is the question the Citadel Defense Initiative intends to answer.

The Council, taking some cues from _previous_ conflicts which didn't go in their favor, which were also against technologically superior opponents, unanimously established the CDI to preempt some of the previous issues regarding coordination and planning they had suffered during the Refusal Wars.

This is a fairly small council of high-ranking representatives from every Citadel race, all of whom are responsible for putting together a galactic defense plan, harden supply lines, develop contingencies, and synchronize battle plans. They are working closely with the volus especially, to build resource stockpiles on dozens of planets, shuffling billions of credits into frozen reserves to activate in worst-case scenarios, and covertly move defense platforms, build garrisons, and cross-train with fleets without raising alarms.

It is a mammoth undertaking that is still in its early stages of planning. The Council is smart enough to realize that waiting until this threat strikes is not a wise option, and establishing something like the CDI _now_ is vastly preferable to waiting until it's too late. It will take time for anything _substantial_ to come to fruition, but the fact that it exists will be an advantage.

How much of an advantage is yet to be determined.

The Citadel Compilation Contingency: At the same time as the CDI is being formulated, the Council approved the creation of a division designed to be enacted in a worst case scenario. Despite the flowery name, this is effectively a multi-billion dollar time capsule project made by a much smaller team and hidden from everyone except the Council and subcommittee leadership.

In short, it seeks to compile all known knowledge into a single data capsule, which includes formulas, research papers, history, racial culture, star charts, and any additional information for someone else to find in the event that they fail and die. These capsules will be seeded on marked and unmarked worlds.

That is the written intention of the division.

The contingency goes further than that. In addition to capsules, the Citadel has quietly authorized the construction of underground self-sustaining bunkers on a dozen planets, and there are several smaller projects which are unknowingly tied to it, such as one concerning prothean stasis pods and Citadel preservation chambers.

The Citadel intends for a final contingency to involve small groups of volunteers which will be placed into suspended animation for several centuries (perhaps longer) who will then be able to reemerge long after the danger has passed and rebuild. That is the plan. Cloning is not at a point where they have included it, but it is likely that Valern and Thin'Koris will push for it as the project develops.

It is worth keeping an eye on this project – and who they are selecting to man these facilities if the contingency should be enacted.

**PERSONNEL OF NOTE – ZERITH T'VANN**: Zerith is something of an enigma compared to many of her peers. Most asari who come from within one of the House of Storms are deeply involved in asari affairs and wield considerable influence over the lesser clans, as well as maintain significant interests beyond it.

Zerith by contrast is a fairly middling member of Clan T'Vann. Not someone who stands out, but who held a modest administrative position on Thessia, is a hobbyist painter and musician, and has little ambition compared to her peers. However, despite this she is heavily involved in the Citadel Compilation Contingency as one of the primary overseers.

We suspect this is due to several reasons. The first is that this is something she would have an interest in. The preservation of knowledge and culture combined with overseeing such a project fits into her expected skillset and mindset. She is a capable administrator, and with a small and easily manageable team, she can be quite effective.

The more likely reason is that the Thirty want one of the House of Storms involved in a project like this. Zerith lacks many of the off-putting characteristics of a Thirty-raised asari. She's not arrogant, patient, and reasonably humble. She works quite well with aliens, and the Thirty likely believe that she will convey a positive impression of the Thirty.

And obviously, with any contingency plan which could involve long-term stasis, the asari are in a position to benefit most from it due to their long lifespans. The Thirty doubtless realize this, and it is unlikely that Zerith is ignorant of it either. It remains to be seen if the project will account for this, as thus far it has not.

**PERSONNEL OF NOTE – KIN WOLE**: A volus logistics mastermind, the Citadel has their pick of experts to manage the logistics aspect of the Citadel Defense Initiative. Kin Wole in particular was specifically sought out due to his deliberate study and research of wartime stressed logistics chains, and his extensive experience cataloguing irregular supply lines found in the Terminus Systems.

Wole is _extremely_ good at being able to plot and plan logistics for nearly every situation. A galactic apocalypse by comparison is merely a larger scale model of the ones he toys with every single day. His connections with smugglers, pirates, and suppliers is several dozen pages long, and his proof of concept he brought before the Council was conceptually sound, and far beyond any other applications.

Wole is obsessed with ensuring that, in the event of a galactic conflict, not only do the supply lines not go down, but the credit remains stable as well. He fully intends for the economy to keep functioning, and sees it as a vital component of any contingency plan. The CDI is working to accommodate this, as all parties have similar invested interests in a stable economy.

As stated earlier, progress within the CDI is slow, but if there is one aspect which will likely be flawless, it will be Wole's logistics.

**PERSONNEL OF NOTE – WEYLAN JASPER**[Human]: I was somehow not surprised to find out that this particular individual is working for the Citadel Reclamation Service. The human explorer is so famous that there is a holonet drama about him and his exploits. Tune in next week to see him raid a prothean vault – will he escape? Or will be possessed by the High Prothean Spirit?

I will note that I never said that the holonet drama was _good_.

Nonetheless, the famous (or infamous to some asari) Weylan Jasper is a legitimately accomplished explorer who spent most of his time in the Terminus Systems. A former history teacher, he grew both bored and irritated at the material he was forced to teach on Earth, and instead decided to do some research and track down a suspected prothean dig site.

To the surprise of many (himself included), he actually managed it and recovered several prothean relics. Most in bad condition, but it was still more than he had anticipated. The corporation which had previously written off the world as 'worthless' was somewhat annoyed at being one-upped by a bored history teacher, and that would be the first of many times when a lone human managed to track down artifacts and relics that others couldn't find, or had given up on.

He's traveled across more of the galaxy than most _asari_, including deep into the Terminus Systems. He is rumored to have actually visited hanar territory, but this has not been confirmed. He's older now, though hasn't slowed down his explorations at all. Now he runs with a small team of an asari, a quarian, and a volus.

His life already sounds like a script, it's not surprising the Systems Alliance actually turned it into one.

Jasper is something of a dangerous individual now. He's trained himself extensively in marksmanship, and he is a skilled enough survivalist to be able to live on Tuchanka for several weeks. He's no soldier, but several corporations have put hits out on him, seeing him as a threat to their profits, and he's killed everyone sent after him.

For a single individual, he has amassed quite the track record – impressive enough that he's one of the most high-ranking individuals in the Reclamation Service – and generally the person they send out if they need to claim any precursor relics for their own. Though it should be noted that there are places that Jasper will not, under any circumstances, touch.

The first are inusannon sites, which he cites as 'remarkably unsafe' though has not elaborated on it, aside to say that anyone interested in the inusannon should read more about them. He will also not involve himself with any arthenn relics or artifacts, though he has not given a reason for this beyond a 'bad feeling'.

Despite this, he appears quite content in his job now, and it appears the career of the infamous human treasure hunter will continue for a while yet.


	5. Citadel Military and Intelligence

_**LP's Note: **TWO IN ONE DAY GET DUNKED ON!  
_

_This chapter is written by _**_Xabiar _**_with very minor assistance from the Editing Gang._

_Enjoy! **Xab's** notes are at the _**_bottom_**_ of the chapter.  
_

_Not a lot to say except I wish I could write this good :D _

* * *

**THE CITADEL COUNCIL**

**SECTION 4: CITADEL MILITARY**

**OVERVIEW**

The Citadel Military is a topic of which the importance and impact of which heavily depends on how one _perceives_ what the Citadel Military is. There is a significant amount of misinformation and ignorance on this topic, surprisingly enough, and few have a comprehensive understanding of what actually composes the umbrella of the Citadel Military.

Universally, the greatest misconception comes from the scope of the Citadel Military. Most believe that the Citadel Defense Force is the _entirety_ of the armed forces, and a few actually believe C-Sec fulfills dual roles for military and law enforcement duties. A concerning number believe that the Citadel Fleet doesn't actually exist, and what comprises the 'Citadel Fleet' is more or less a coordinated effort, and there is no direct Citadel management or coordination.

These assumptions are patently false, and betray a significant misunderstanding of the Citadel Military by most of the galaxy. There are a shocking number of people who don't even know that Citadel Intelligence exists, let alone the Citadel Special Operations Group or Citadel Special Tasks Group.

Or, more dangerously, believe that such entities are irrelevant.

The reality is that the Citadel Military is a very well-trained, well-organized, well-supplied, and well-connected fighting force which has only seen expansion since the Benezia Incident. Recruitment has doubled, and investment by Citadel members has increased over a quarter. Those who underestimate the Citadel Military do so at their own peril.

What is especially notable is that these are individuals who are making the _deliberate_ decision to serve under the Citadel and not under their respective species government. They are less inclined to racial jingoism and superiority, and more towards interspecies cooperation. This is not to say that the military is devoid of these interests – but they are mitigated, and have been slowly supplemented over the past decades.

The Citadel is primarily classified as a political and economic power. The danger of their military does not come from the size of it, necessarily, but the quality of those who are recruited, and how they are used. Which is to say nothing of the influence Citadel Intelligence wields, of which a startling number are ignorant of.

* * *

**ROLE OF THE CITADEL MILITARY**

The role of the Citadel Military has served several purposes, most of which have very little to do with actual combat operations – though this is a growing aspect. Initially, the Citadel Military was the solidification of a political alliance and agreements with Citadel species. So long as multiple species were integrated into a singular, cohesive military unit, the chances of divergence and conflict were lessened.

Officially, their role was to protect Citadel Station and universal Citadel locations from outside threats. This included the Citadel itself, Citadel officials, diplomatic arms, precursor dig sites, and other areas and individuals which represented, were part of, or spoke for the Citadel as a whole. However, outside of Citadel Station, there was not much use for a dedicated military.

The Citadel Military was always more dangerous on paper than in reality. It had extensive scalability, and could be rapidly mobilized into a collection of the Citadel species militaries, though this was closer to a coalition than an actual military, even if it was defined otherwise. Since the Second Refusal War, the Citadel has been taking a more conventional approach to how it is sustaining and training its armed forces.

They prioritized having vast numbers of reserves, as until recently, the staffing levels of the Citadel Defense Force were at one fifth of their full capacity. This was justified as there being no reason to sustain full troop levels on the Citadel. Special operations units like CSOG and CSTG have always been in operation, and their mission is one similar to the SPECTREs – defend the Citadel against threats and ensure their influence is not threatened.

Citadel Intelligence stands out as something of an exception to the tentative steps the Citadel took to downplay their military integration. From the beginning CINT was meant to ensure that the Council knew _everything_ happening on Citadel Station, as well as entities they believed posed a threat to their actions, on the station and beyond. As a result, the size, powers, and reach of CINT has grown exponentially – and secretly – as a minority of people closely follow CINT, mistakenly believing it unimportant or irrelevant compared to more well-known intelligence agencies.

In more recent decades, the Council has been slowly working to make the Citadel Military one which can stand alone; something which is not a confused amalgamation of conflict approaches, tactics, and styles which has hurt it previously. It is a notably successful experiment in breaking down racial and ideological differences between species into a more unified vision and loyalty to the Citadel as an entity and ideal.

Had this gradual approach not been taken, it is likely that the Council would be accused of brainwashing or propagandizing their soldiers to turn them against their own people. Ridiculous to consider, but the ultra-statist loyalists would have done so. Now, even if certain individuals see this as a concern, the Citadel Military is too well-respected, equipped, and funded to oppose in any real way.

Most of these changes have applied on an infantry level, and the Benezia Incident is being shaped to begin this same level of integration and cohesion to the Citadel Fleet which has always been handled with some delicacy. The role and influence of the Citadel Military is growing, and those who do not understand what comprises it will be caught blindsided when they emerge as the leaders in the next conflict the Citadel takes part in.

* * *

**THE CITADEL DEFENSE FORCE**

**OVERVIEW**: When most people imagine the Citadel Military, what they actually envision is the Citadel Defense Force, the most visible of all the active defenders on the Citadel. They are almost comparable to part of the scenery at this point, stationed at most starports, Citadel offices, and other various places throughout the Citadel.

Their mission is to provide military protection to Citadel Station and Council entities. In some respects they are almost considered bodyguards or glorified security. While both of those encompass their scope of duties, they are certainly a legitimate military force which saw action during the Benezia Incident.

The issue they encountered – and the reason most of the CDF stationed were killed during the attack – was because they were only operating at one-fifth of their actual capacity. Citadel Station has the space to hold the entire CDF, but the Council had decided to only have 20% of it active at any one time.

This was justified as unnecessary, expensive, and the Council did not want it to appear that they were 'militarizing' the Citadel or giving the impression that they were imposing an unofficial military state. The reality of this came down to cost, pushback from asari and turians who didn't want the CDF eating up more of 'their' soldiers (who served with their respective species militaries while furloughed from CDF activity), and the Council not believing they would really be in a situation where the CDF would be needed.

As a result, the Citadel was woefully unprepared from the attack on the Citadel. The only positive upside is that a vast majority of the CDF still exists due to the lessened staffing, and the CDF and Council are learning from their mistakes. Currently the CDF is operating at full capacity, and is on a recruiting spree for both active-duty soldiers and reserves.

While turians remain the highest contributors, with asari a close second, more humans are joining the CDF, and some specialized salarian units are also being assigned to the CDF through the SIX. The total personnel which make up the CDF is near to half a million, with another hundred thousand in reserves.

If the Citadel were to be suddenly attacked by Geth today, it is unlikely that they would be as successful as they were during the Benezia Incident.

**BRANCHES**: There are three distinct branches of the CDF, which are listed below:

Citadel Armed Forces: The vast bulk of the CDF is composed of the Citadel Armed Forces, which are self-explanatory as to their function. They are the primary military arm of the CDF, and undertake offensive and defensive combat operations by the directive of the Supreme Commander.

There are several different ranks and roles in the CAF branch, which will be briefly outlined below:

_Soldier_: The front-line unit of the CDF and the lowest rank which can be held in the service. Soldiers are ubiquitous, common, and easily recognizable. They have standard armaments, simple roles, and are largely unremarkable, if capable of comparison against established racial militaries.

_Specialist_: Opposed to the ubiquitous and unimpressive Soldier, Specialists are far more versatile in their function. If there are specialized recruits to the CDF, they are almost always assigned as a Specialist. The salarian Shieldbreakers would be quantified as 'Specialist' forces, as would most medics and infowar experts.

There are several different categories of 'Specialist' – Infowar, medical, explosives, and cybernetic. Almost all recruits to the CDF with specialist characteristics will fall into one of these categories. These are divided out further into assigned units. While the CAF typically prefers to assign units with a balanced mix of Specialists, there are some units which have been geared towards Infowar tactics, or cybernetics (such as the infamous Shieldbreaker Unit). All the same, this is something which is not commonly done as the CDF does not want to become overly reliant on a single Unit.

_Marksman Corps_: Long-ranged units which specialize in targeted enemy removal or mitigation, the Marksman Corps is the dedicated role in the CAF devoted towards precision targeting and sabotage. This is easily the role with the smallest number of personnel, but it is one which is well-maintained, and those within this role can be considered among the most skilled of marksmen in operation, even if they rarely get to show off their skills in legitimate combat operations.

_Unit Director_: The CAF is composed of 'Units', of which there are a set amount for each 'Arm' of the Citadel. Each of these Units is led by a Director, who is responsible for coordination and command of their respective Unit. They can theoretically be drawn from any role, though are typically Specialists or Officers who've acquitted themselves well and have no outstanding complications.

_Arm Commander_: The design of the Citadel has allowed for the segmentation of CAF command to be broken down into 'arms'. The Arm Commander is responsible for all military operations, Units, and strategy as it relates to that arm of the Citadel. While the Arm Commanders largely coordinate with each other, it is notable that not all strategies and defenses implemented are universal.

This is for two reasons – the first of which is that not every arm is the same, and there are different points of interest, defensive positions, and routes compared to others. The strategy will change by default. The second is because the species of the Arm Commanders varies, as does their priorities. Turian and Human Arm Commanders tend to prefer a balanced approach, and heavily fortify certain logical areas heavily, and use that as their primary calculus. Salarians prefer to rely on traps, snipers nests, and positioning. Asari are heavily defensive, and have a focus on mitigating collateral damage.

Each of these can be argued as achieving the mission parameters, but in practice this means that the actual battle itself can play out in different ways. Any assault on the Citadel _must_ take into account who the Arm Commanders are – there is no universal Citadel defense doctrine – or at least not a singular one.

Citadel Biotic Corps: The Citadel Biotic Corps is the smallest branch of the CDF, but it makes up for this deficiency as being one of the most accomplished, skilled, and dangerous biotic organizations in Citadel space – with only the asari capable of outmatching them. There existed very little in the way of rank structure. CBC units are broken into squads, led by Commanders, and the Corps itself is commanded by the Corps Master.

This is elaborated on below:

_Corps Biotic_: When one thinks of the most powerful biotics, what comes to mind are usually the asari powerhouses, the sleek incantations of drell, the enigmatic turian Cabal, or even the ubiquitous Humans. These are further associated with their respective organizations. The Furies. Commandos. Cabal. They are tied to individuals. Uressa T'Shora, the Solarch, Eni Gaisha, or our own Tetrimus.

But no one even so much as mentions the biotics of the Citadel Biotic Corps.

Which is odd.

The Corps Biotics are among the most skilled, capable, durable, and dangerous biotics which exist within Citadel space. While fewer in number than most state entities, they nonetheless are more than capable of holding their own, and the Citadel permits that they be taught by the absolute best within the Cube and elsewhere.

The Corps is seen as a place for biotic rejects, and while we have already covered the attempted shuttering of Nick Donahue by the Alliance, he is definitely not the only one who has been quietly hidden away in the Corps, for one reason or another. Clanless asari, human biotic program castouts, older turian Cabal, krogan loners, and even three known ardat-rekshi.

These are not exactly individuals who you would expect to be tossed aside, but in almost all cases, there was an extenuating circumstance that was used as justification. Clanless need no reason for why the Thirty wanted them gone; too powerful to throw away, but clanless. Ardat-rekshi born from the House of Storms needed to be quietly hidden from the Justicars. Humans and turian biotics were afflicted with neural or physical conditions that would kill them in years. Krogan who had no clan.

The Biotic Corps is one of the most diverse groups in the entire Citadel military, and it seems like the intention of shuffling all of these problematic and broken people has backfired. Instead of being a disparate collection of weakened or soon-to-be-dead biotics, they have been transformed into one of the most powerful.

There is a cohesion and camaraderie within the Corps which is unlike most units. All of them were moved to the Corps for similar reasons, and there was cause to bond over that. Typical racial divisions simply do not exist, and it has created a unit which is loyal to none but the Citadel itself.

Someone made the decision to take the Biotic Corps, and turn it into this. The Cube is a major part of it. Every single biotic recruited inevitably undergoes a procedure which results in their enhancement. If they were suffering any ailment, that is mysteriously gone. Without exception, every single biotic who had entered the Corps has emerged stronger and more skilled.

The reason for this is unknown. There is a current of unease within some of the governments, especially the Alliance and Hierarchy, since quite a few people they sent to them should have died. But with the focus being on the Reapers and internal matters, this mystery is not one which will likely be pressed.

_Biotic Commander_: The Biotic Commanders of the Corps are those who have emerged as leaders and warriors that stand out even within the Corps. Almost all of them have several standard deviations above the baseline expectation for their species, with skill to match. They lead squads of biotics, usually between eight and ten, and often undergo tactical-level training from the CDF.

Interestingly, only about half of all Biotic Commanders are asari, which should raise some concerns since asari make up close to sixty percent of the Corps, and are disproportionately more powerful than most species. This suggests that whatever procedure biotics undergo brings certain individuals up to asari levels, which is something which should not be possible without significant neural modification, or advanced implants.

_Corps Master_: The Corps Master is always, without exception, the most powerful biotic in the Citadel Biotic Corps. They set training, manage recruitment, and have direct lines to the Supreme Commander, the Cube, Subcommittee on Science, and a few other relevant groups. For the past two centuries every Corps Master has been an asari – until now.

The most recent one perished in the Benezia Incident, and she was replaced with a salarian – which has _never_ happened in the history of the Corps. His history is bizarre – he is a former _Assault Adept_ who was never fielded in combat, and officially does not exist. Further inquiry reveals why.

This individual was the result of the SIX Alteration Framework project, which has produced on paper the most powerful salarian biotic to exist – one on the same level as a War Priestess. It is baffling that this individual is in the Biotic Corps of all places, and not deep within the Union. It is even more so when we found out that Valern personally intervened to move him into the Corps, which was permitted after a meeting directly with the STG Master.

He speaks very little, his internal designation is 'Mirror', and has been tripling the numbers of the Corps since taking control. Individuals who interact with him have reported feeling uneasy and off-balance – but not those in the Corps. Whoever this individual is, he should not be in such a hidden position, and that the circumstances surrounding him are vague and contradictory, it is recommended that he be watched closely.

The Presidium Guard: While a relatively small branch in comparison to the CDF proper, the Presidium Guard is actually, in all likelihood, more well-known to the station population. They are front in center throughout the Praesidium, and it is impossible to miss them. They are largely – and incorrectly – seen as a kind of ceremonial honor guard. Calling the Presidium Guard _just_ a ceremonial guard grossly understates their role and capabilities.

Their role is a mixture of bodyguard, law enforcement, and special forces. While they primarily operate on the Presidium level of the Citadel, they are by no means restricted _just_ to that level. There are three different Services within the Presidium Guard, all of which ultimately answer to the Supreme Commander.

They are listed as follows.

_The Protection Service_: The Protection Service is one of the most elite bodyguard programs throughout Citadel space. Every prominent member of the Council, Subcommittee, agency executive, C-Sec, Citadel Intelligence, as well as their families is assigned members of the Protection Service on the Citadel, and if requested, can provide protection off-station.

Their uniform equipment does not change, but they will tend to adopt the sigils and colors of the species of the one they are assigned to protect, as well as be composed of same-species units when visible. Most people have no idea that the bodyguards around Citadel figures are not, in fact, from their racial government in question, but directly under the Citadel Defense Force.

This is only the visible component. There are at minimum twice that number of plainclothes operatives which watch from crowds, the sidelines, or stakeouts in anticipation of the schedule. All of these individuals keep in close contact, especially for high-profile events or prominent individuals.

In addition to that, the Protection Service employs a vast cyber operation devoted primarily for detecting threats made on the extranet and other digital platforms, making recommendations to their charge, and working with C-Sec to handle legitimate threats. The Protection Service is exceptionally thorough, and there is a reason that attempted assassinations on high-profile figures fail – or are never attempted at all.

_The Citadel Service_: If there is a situation which is deemed too dangerous for the standard CDF units, the Citadel Service is marshalled. The elite of the CDF, the Citadel Service undertakes operations throughout Citadel Station, traditionally against larger criminal elements, or to provide support in case larger stings turn violent.

They are dedicated, efficient, and very few in number due to the limited military engagement Citadel Station typically sees. They saw significant action during the Benezia Incident, and the majority of them survived, and ensured that pockets of Citadel Station didn't fall. The Archives in particular were locked down by the Citadel Service, and the Geth were unable to breach.

Since the Benezia Incident, they have doubled in size, and regularly perform military exercises with the wider CDF.

_The Presidium Service_: Everyone who visits the Citadel inevitably 'oohs' and 'ahs' over the shining legions of the Presidium Service, the unarmed men and women in silver and blue armor, with the sigil of the Council on one shoulder, and their government of origin on the other. They are silent, imposing, and _everywhere_ on the Presidium.

You cannot stroll down those broad walkways without seeing one of the Service standing silently at attention. They interact with those who ask them questions, pose for pictures, and provide directions throughout the Presidium. Most people are under the impression that they are regular soldiers or C-Sec. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Every single member of the Presidium Service is a veteran soldier or former special forces. Their number includes former Blackwatch, STG, Alliance N-Series, Asari Commandos, or, recently, the Techmarines. These are _not_ standard soldiers. Their lack of weapons is a deception to put the population at ease. There are six hundred hidden weapon caches throughout the Presidium, and no Servicemember is more than thirty seconds from one at all times.

The Presidium Service is also one of the few to be afforded limited legal powers, such as performing warrantless detentions and physical interventions. They are fed a constant stream of information from CINT about potential individuals to watch for, and similarly keep watch out for any threat to the Presidium.

Only the very ignorant or the very stupid would consider attempting anything on the Presidium level. Success is near-impossible. It took Benezia herself to break through the Presidium lines during the Benezia Incident, as they were holding off the Geth effectively prior to her arrival. They lost a significant number of soldiers that day, but have replenished their numbers – and have since added a third of that number.

**EQUIPMENT AND DIVERSITY**: The Citadel Defense Force is equipped with the top of the line equipment and weapons from vendors across Citadel space. They are equivalent to asari in terms of how they take care of their soldiers. No one can say that the CDF is not well-equipped to handle anything that comes their way, and their budget is only likely to increase.

It should not come as a surprise, but the CDF is also extremely diverse in the context of species. Every Citadel race is represented, with turians, asari, and salarians comprising the majority, but humans have been close behind, and more and more quarians are joining their ranks. While not as common, volus and drell also contribute to that number, though like the quarians, more are joining.

* * *

**THE CITADEL FLEET**

**OVERVIEW**: In total, the Citadel Fleet is the largest in the galaxy. On paper it has always been the largest, though there were sometimes periods where other fleets had more at their disposal, which can be attributed to the original way the Citadel Fleet functioned. The Citadel Fleet is composed of contributions from member species, though the way this was implemented was not as conducive to a unified fleet.

Previously, only Council members were required to provide ships on permanent assignment to the Citadel Fleet. Every species was required to contribute a sizable portion of their fleet, but only Council species were on permanent assignment, while others generally remained under the control of their respective governments. In the event that the Fleet was mobilized, then they would fall under Citadel Command.

This placed the Citadel Fleet in an odd spot, where contributions were both real, but also political. Only the turians took their contributions seriously, while asari and salarians typically reserved their most important ships for their own use. The only times when the Citadel Fleet has been a true unified force were in times of war. In peace, they lapse into a state of apathy where governments get cold feet about contributions.

This appears to be changing, following the Benezia Incident and the acknowledgement of the Reaper threat. Grand Admiral Moiras Vallia finally put her foot down, and began actively pressing the governments for contributions, and when she was joined by Citadel High Command, and the Council, she introduced sweeping changes to the fleets.

All Council races are required to contribute a minimum of forty percent of their fleet, the exact ships to be recommended by an independent assessment (to avoid the species intentionally providing their less effective ships). All non-Council races are required to contribute at least twenty percent, and their contributions are now also on permanent assignment, under the revamped Citadel command structure.

This was met with varying degrees of protest, though the Grand Admiral eventually forced them to cooperate through various means and incentives. She relied a fair bit on Citadel Intelligence for support, but for the most part, these were accepted numbers, considering the circumstances. In return for this, funds for replacement ships following the Benezia Incident, as well as future maintenance, would be paid directly by the Citadel, which was a massive incentive to cooperate.

The final major change Vallia made was the expansion of the Fleet to include exterior contributors. These range from PMCs, mercenary outfits like the Blue Suns, private corporate fleets and personnel, and even a few 'independent' ships originating from the Terminus Systems, tied to Aria and the Terminus Clan.

The Citadel Fleet is slowly moving to be a galactic-wide coalition, yet another signal that the Council is preparing for another conflict with the geth, or in the long term, the Reapers.

**THE CITADEL PROCUREMENT AGREEMENT**: The Citadel Fleet is composed of ships from every single member species. These ships require a significant amount of components that break, wear down, or otherwise require maintenance. This initially was an issue that the Citadel didn't expect to get out of hand until the first asari frigate went dead.

Normally it would be a simple matter of sending mechanics to fix the issue. Legally, it was far more complicated. While the vessel _was_ an asari ship, it was technically under Citadel control, which prevented the Asari Republics from authorizing replacement parts or explaining how to repair it, as the ship contained proprietary asari technology and state secrets, in effect.

This forced the Citadel to scrambled to enact legislation which at the time was intended to streamline the maintenance and procurement process for maintaining the fleet, and has now allowed the Citadel to effectively nationalize certain state secrets - namely the technology, components, and schematics of every single ship that exists within the Citadel Fleet.

Notably, we believe this is the reason that the asari have never even considered sharing their prothean ships with the Citadel - and also potentially why other species are very careful as to what they share with the Citadel Fleet. While these secrets are heavily protected, and only reviewed and executed by members of the same species whose vessel is being repaired or maintained, the fact remains that the Citadel has knowledge of a significant number of naval vessels down to the last component.

The Accords do significantly simplify the process for maintaining the Fleet, but there have been several times where talk has emerged about severely amending, or scrapping the entire Accords. This has been shot down by every single Grand Admiral, as well as heavily opposed by the Subcommittee of Defense, as they know that it has the potential to irreparably cripple the Citadel Fleet.

**FLEET BREAKDOWN**: Details on the fleet will be organized by member contribution, which will provide information on the percentage of the contribution, specific ships or personnel, or whole fleets that have been provided. These are organized from Council species to other or unique contributions.

Asari Contributions: The asari stepped up their contributions to the Citadel Fleet by a percentage, increasing their overall contributions to forty percent (not including the Destiny Ascension). Fifteen asari dreadnoughts have been added, supported by Battle, Storm, and Torpedo Cruisers, and a mixture of Light Cruisers and Frigates to round out the fleet.

It should be noted that, even though the Thirty were not happy with the Grand Admiral strong-arming them into providing more ships, she is a living legend among the asari and _everyone_ newly assigned is willing to follow her anywhere. Given the quality and size of the contributions, this is no small development.

Salarian Contributions: The salarians have matched the asari in bumping up their contributions to forty percent, and as they previously did, their contributions are largely focused on harassment, defense, recon, and plugging gaps left open by traditional symmetrical strategies employed by other species, and acting as the Citadel Fleet's asymmetric warfare fleet.

Their most 'traditional' (in terms of role) ship are the ten dreadnoughts they have contributed, while the remainder of their contributions make up Frigates, Recon and Assault Frigates and copious amounts of Corvettes (the STG variant is not employed here). There are a _few_ Saturation and Assault cruisers included, but mostly as support for the standardized fleet. There are also a large number of Gun Cruisers that are employed – a direct request from the Grand Admiral for anti-capital ship tactics.

Turian Contributions: The turians already contribute a full half of their fleet, and they have maintained these numbers since the Benezia Incident – with a review of exactly which ships are contributed and which have not been. The Grand Admiral has been involved in recommending fleet refinements from the Hierarchy, and since then there have been some changes to the overall composition.

The number of turian dreadnoughts have been reduced to ten from twelve, and in return their contributions include one of the three existing Battleships. There are now double the number of E-Boats, the standard number of War Frigates and Motion Corvettes. There are slightly more Escort, Assault, and War Cruisers in total, and the number of Battlecruisers has been increased by a third.

There are also, of course, the fighters that are employed by the turians which make up a notable amount of their contributions, since only a few races employ fighters at all. There are a far greater number of Claw Fighters compared to the Merkhu Fighter-Bombers contributed.

Human Contributions: Since the Benezia Incident, and elevation to the Council, the Humans have doubled the size of their contributions from twenty percent to forty, which is now also on permanent assignment. This previously included the Human Fifth Fleet, and now includes the newly created Sixth Fleet built on the Citadel payroll.

Human fleets are typically standardized, and contain a balanced collection of frigates, fighters, cruisers, patrol boats, and dreadnoughts. The Alliance is not especially creative thus far when it comes to starship design, similarly to the turians. Their ships are built to be functional and effective, without many of the tricks employed by the salarians or volus.

Quarian Contributions: When the quarian contributions are brought up to modern standards, they are primed to rival the turians in sheer military power. The Migrant Fleet is old, but nonetheless is more than capable of holding its own despite that. The Admiralty has committed twenty five percent of the Scout Fleet, and _seventy_ percent of the Heavy Fleet, equaling just around half of their overall fleet to the Citadel.

These include the frigates, Torpedo Boats, Cruisers, and of course the Heavy Command Cruisers. While on paper the contributions do not seem to do much beyond augmenting the already-high numbers of the Fleet, what needs to be considered is that this fleet is almost certain to become more unique and upgraded in the future.

There are teams of quarian engineers who are now working with cutting edge tech, funded by the Citadel, and charged with making the quarian ships as dangerous as they possibly can. We should continually appraise ourselves of how this project develops. If there is a breakthrough that will be made in the Fleet, it will come from the quarians.

Volus Contributions: The VDF is taking this as an opportunity to show off what they are capable of, most recently pledging forty percent of their fleet – on par with Council species – to the Citadel Fleet. We suspect that this is another maneuver to vie for a seat on the Council in the future, and with their most recent victories such as being slowly embedded throughout Council civilian and military organizations, it seems only a matter of time before the matter is seriously considered.

The volus are contributing significantly more now than they previously were. Whereas before the majority of their contributions were Patrol Boats, the new VDF fleet contributed includes Cloudriders, First Claw Destroyers, and Inosnu Heavy-Cruisers – that latter of which makes up fifteen percent of the contributions.

The greatest score for the Citadel Fleet has been the acquisition of two dozen Seeker craft – if you are unfamiliar with this particular ship, it is extremely dangerous and unique – it is primarily a cyberwarfare program unique among the Fleet, and plugs a hole that could have been exploited. These were acquired through negotiations with the Grand Admiral herself – and the volus were more than willing to provide in exchange for a greater say in the financial management in the fleet itself.

Even beyond that, they have acquired a small fleet of Swarm Interdictors, and one of the two Kwunu dreadnoughts that exist. The volus are considering this a significant investment, and if they are willing to put this kind of resources into the fleet, they must have judged that the return will pay generous dividends.

Elcor Contributions: For what little fleet the elcor have, a twenty percent contribution is likely the best the Citadel can expect. The elcor do not really build warships, and the vast majority of their contributions are storage and medical craft – and their contributions make up close to half of all dedicated medical craft. Important of course, but nonetheless of more limited use compared to the specialized warcraft contributed by other species.

Drell/Hanar Contributions: This may be surprising for a majority of the public, considering that the drell do not exactly have a formal government or proper representation on the Citadel, and the only hanar worth mentioning are the exiles on the Citadel and the degenerates who have puppeted the Vabo.

Nonetheless, such contributions do exist - primarily gifts from the Ascendency to the exiled hanar, who in turn have gifted them to the drell to use. These are extremely advanced alien craft - and when both parties approached to add them to the Fleet, there was initial suspicion. However, Citadel inspectors completely cleared the ships, and couldn't detect any traps or surveillance equipment and permitted them to be added to the fleet.

These are primarily corvettes and small frigates; very well-armored, and have slightly better GARDIAN and offensive systems. There are not many drell ships in the Fleet - but the ones that are there are among the best of their class. It is likely that components of these ships will make their way into other naval vessels, so the drell influence on the Fleet will go well beyond their contributions.

Exterior Contributions: One of the newest initiatives is the permission of exterior parties to contribute to the Citadel Fleet. Beyond the financial incentives for doing so, there are obvious political advantages to aligning more openly with the Citadel. This is not something that comes without strings, of course. There are standards that are expected, and the Citadel will not work with groups that are engaged in continuous and ongoing illegal activities in Citadel Space.

This means that certain groups, if they are so interested, can contribute. The Blue Suns were the first major group to pledge a small number of ships, and there are rumblings that Eclipse is also considering a contribution, though there is internal debate on if that would be accepted by the Citadel without major restrictions.

Currently though, the majority of those who have taken advantage of this are small Private Military Corporations, who see this as a free paycheck, and an opportunity to upgrade their equipment. There are fifteen PMCs that have made (relatively) major contributions to the Citadel Fleet (Notably, a few of them have strong ties to Aria, though it is unknown if she officially endorses their actions).

Corporations and oligarchs are also joining in the action, either providing or sponsoring contributions of their own. Arms companies are obviously not sleeping on this, and other biotech and refinement corporations are also seeing an opportunity to curry influence with the Citadel. The drive has been majorly successful, though it remains to be seen just how much those contributing will receive in return.

The Destiny Ascension: The flagship of the Citadel Fleet, the Destiny Ascension is the largest ship in the entirety of the fleet, only rivaled by the turian Battleship. The result of extensive modifications to the largest prothean warship found, it is capable of utilizing prothean-grade missiles and weapon systems which are unmatched by any modern military.

It is a dreadnought killer in the truest sense of the word, and showcased its capabilities during the Benezia Incident against the geth warships and Nazara. Notably, it is being primed for significant upgrades in the future, depending on what the science teams can create and reverse-engineer from the wreckage of the Reaper.

Also worth noting is who commands the Destiny Ascension – Lidanya T'Armal, the rising star of Clan T'Armal. A true social climber, who in true asari fashion, schemed, seduced, and plotted her way to echelons of power. This is not fully discounting her own tactical capabilities, but there is tension between her and the Grand Admiral, who sees her as aiming more for exterior roles in the Thirty instead of focusing on the job at hand. There are rumors that the Grand Admiral will dismiss her from command if Lidanya does not soon commit to what she wants to do.

It is worth keeping an eye on her.

* * *

**THE CITADEL SPECIAL OPERATIONS GROUP**

**OVERVIEW**: The Citadel Special Operations Group is the Council's own non-SPECTRE special forces unit; a true dream team of the best of the Citadel species' special forces units. There is a notable amount which is not known about it to the public.

For those who _are_ aware of it, there is debate on what their composition actually is. Typical estimates put their numbers between five to nine Blackwatch units (each containing six to eight Blackwatch soldiers), one to three Storms of asari Commandos (each containing fifteen to twenty Commandos), and between one to five War Priestesses. There are continual rumors of salarian biotics, but these have never been confirmed because, typically, no one who encounters CSOG lives to tell about it.

In reality, these numbers were inaccurate by fairly wide margins. There exists a minimum of twelve Blackwatch units, six Storms of Commandos, six War Priestesses, six salarian Battle Adepts, sixteen Shieldbreakers, one Wheel Priest, and one _Royal Paladin._ This influx of disinformation has likely been assisted by CINT throughout the years, and has been good enough to fool even some working intelligence agencies.

CSOG has expanded _significantly_ since the Benezia Incident, and the appointment of the humans and quarians to the Council. N-Series and DACT operatives now join from the Alliance, and Techmarines join from the quarians. There are even a dozen drell biotics who have joined the group, and a team of volus manage the finances and legal activities. The only species who have no representation are the elcor and vorcha. Batarians need no explanation – though historically there was at least _one_ who was good enough to be part of the CSOG.

Like everything the Council does, this is a multi-species coalition of the best of the best from the Citadel species. Like the SPECTREs, having members who are part of CSOG is extremely prestigious (though only within military circles). You have to be in the top ten percentile to be considered, and it makes appointments competitive and prestigious. While formally CSOG has no quotas to fill, the Executor over CSOG has made a concerted effort to expand recruitment beyond Council races, which is why volus and drell have become involved, whereas before they would have been barred.

Now, to address the question of what CSOG _does_? It is fairly standard and simple. When there is a military problem the Council – or a member of the Council – needs resolved, they go to CSOG. This primarily relates to slaving rings, pirate stations, and of course, when the Council goes to war.

The vast majority of the time they are facing opponents which are _far_ below their capabilities, and have to make up for it by continually participating in war games with other elite special forces units (if such is permitted). Recently an agreement was reached with the Alliance to permit CSOG personnel to utilize Pinnacle Station, which CSOG has since taken advantage of – for at least their baseline tactics.

CSOG maintains their headquarters on the Citadel itself in an undisclosed location in the Wards, which is where the majority of their planning, training, and day-to-day activity takes place. They are easily among the elite when it comes to special forces units.

**BRIEF HISTORICAL NOTATIONS**: The Citadel Special Operations Group was not formed until after the First Refusal War, and was a direct suggestion of the turians, seen as a means to pool elite forces into one place. The pilot program was established, and it was seen as an overwhelming success. The group was more experimental, allowing a wider variety of personnel (including said batarian).

CSOG was involved in a number of minor events during this initial formation - and proved particularly effective against a number of asari cults that had developed around some matriarchs, usually attracting moderate numbers of clanless. The Thirty were the ones demanding action, and presented these groups as terrorists and dissidents. While there was no denying these were cults, there appeared to be only a few instances of planned violence, and it is far more likely that the Thirty were more interested in eliminating any matriarch who threatened their hold on the clanless.

These cults were eradicated nonetheless, and to this day these remain unsolved mysteries of asari history, and had a chilling effect on future clanless exploitation. You will likely notice that these asari cults _are_ still around to some degree - but now they primarily attract Thirty maidens and aliens. Clanless very rarely are sought, as these matriarchs are smart enough to know that is enough to cause them to disappear.

Of more _active_ interest to CSOG were their interventions to shut down no fewer than _seven_ independent plots against the Citadel - simultaneously. These were ill-fated, poorly planned, and CSOG quickly realized that they were likely distractions for a larger plot. What had started out as termination missions against small rebel groups of turians, clanless, and salarians (with the occasional batarian pirate) quickly morphed into a shell game managed by a rogue STG cell.

That of course, triggered an immediate Council response. The SIX demanded the STG figure out who these traitors were, and the identities of the cell were soon confirmed, and began the first major STG-CSOG operation, where the STG passed along the locations of rogue operatives and their bases of operation, and CSOG entered and laid waste to whatever was there. It took over three years before the rogue cell was fully eliminated - just in time for the conflict that followed.

The group was almost completely decimated in the Second Refusal War. The result of that was that CSOG standards were raised, and barred for all species except Council races. This was justified by pointing to the lack of a dedicated special forces unit in other species, particularly the quarians and batarians – and none of the Imperial Guard of the latter _ever_ entertained the idea of joining – nor would CSOG have let them.

The first major event that CSOG became involved in (Post-Refusal War) where the Citadel actively faced a major militant crisis was the Omega Standoff – though not in an actual operational way. When it appeared that Aria was going to be a problem, CSOG began planning how they were going to land on Omega Station, and terminate the Pirate Queen. They produced a very well-developed plan, which we estimate would have placed their odds close to seventy percent of success with minimal casualties.

Since no action was _taken_ against Aria, it was never put into motion, but it served as a template for how CSOG would plan operations in the future, and their skills were put to use eventually. Their time to make an impact was during the Second Krogan Rebellions. CSOG was involved from the moment Wrang began his conquest of the Terminus, though in a fairly subtle way.

CSOG was carefully monitoring the borders of the Terminus and Citadel Space, and planning accordingly. When the Blood Pack built a base too close to the borders, or erected a space station similarly close to the borders, they struck and wiped everyone out to the man. Wrang doubtless suspected Citadel involvement, but couldn't prove it, and he did not have an interest in antagonizing the Council so ignored the losses.

This unfortunately did not work to stop the direct attacks of the asari worlds, but it solidified CSOGs mandate to take _any_ preemptive action against hostile actors. Once the Council had privately decided to support Aria, CSOG was involved in dozens of operations against Wrang's forces, from the outskirts to the heart of his makeshift empire.

CSOG suffered losses, of course, but they never suffered a single defeat during the course of the rebellions, and emerged as a hardened unit, forged in the fires of combat. It was unfortunate that the Second Refusal War followed this, as many of these veterans perished in the conflict with the hanar.

Nearly a half-century later, one of the largest mobilizations of the CSOG was the defection of the infamous SPECTRE trio - Ial Solus, Gideas Tyrax, and Aliva T'Armal - also known as the coup that never happened. The Council keeps SPECTRE defections and desertions quiet - the few times they have happened, another SPECTRE team is sent after them and the problem is usually resolved.

This was different. Aliva had worked with both men before, they were close colleagues, and through means we haven't determined, she learned something that triggered her desertion, and started a lethal one-woman war against the Council of Matriarchs. Why did she not reveal what she knew? Our best guess is that she had learned it verbally, and had no actual proof. Or perhaps she did not want to share. It remains unknown.

What is relevant is that this story was immediately suppressed, and two dozen SPECTREs, and the entire CSOG was mobilized to find, corner, and neutralize these rogue agents. These were not unprepared operatives. Their connections, wealth, and contingencies allowed them to hire, procure, and fund small elite outfits of mercenaries they personally trained, as well as employ infowar specialists, AI architects, and computational engineers.

It is suspected, though not confirmed, that the reason these SPECTREs almost emerged victorious in their crusade was because Solus had somehow received League of Zero support, and had turned that towards augmenting their cyber operations - which produced a working AI that was obfuscating the SPECTRE movements, planting false alarms, and allowing them to stay one step ahead.

Working together with the SPECTREs, CSOG located and invaded an oxygenless moon where their main base of operations was stationed, and destroyed the working AI infrastructure (CINT, CSTG, and C-Sec spent two years clearing out the AI from Citadel mainframes, though it eventually devolved into fugue, making neutralization easy).

What shocked many veteran SPECTREs was that the most experience CSOG group found themselves in a trap constructed by Tyrax - and traps by SPECTREs rarely fail. Yet not only did CSOG survive, they fought their way to the rogue SPECTRE and managed to kill him, even after taking nearly fifty percent casualties.

CSOG were also the primary actors in dismantling supply points, merc holdouts, and hideouts of the remaining two rogue SPECTREs. Aliva was finally taken out by a trio of SPECTREs, and Solus vanished into the Terminus Systems and was never heard from again, and is now presumed dead (of old age - salarian lifespans sometimes have useful downsides).

Now, in the event of rogue SPECTREs, CSOG can also be activated to assist SPECTRE operations. Notably, this did not happen during the pursuit of the rogue SPECTRE Saren, though the justification we could find for this was, ironically, they had the support of the Broker Network, and did not believe activation was necessary - something the Executor and division as a whole were fairly incised at.

Outside of this major event, in recent times, CSOG has primarily been on anti-pirate, anti-slaver duty, and more recently, anti-geth operations. There has not been a major conflict following the Second Refusal War, and the Benezia Incident can hardly be called a proper 'war'. CSOG _did_ see action on the Citadel, of course, and they were responsible for saving thousands of lives during the attack, and heavily blunted the geth offensive into the wards, though they sustained close to thirty percent casualties, and lost the prior Executor.

Their numbers have since been rebuilt and expanded.

**EQUIPMENT AND EXPERIENCE**: All of the equipment that is used by CSOG is top of the line, and often custom made to order from specialized vendors. The Citadel spares no expense for providing CSOG with the best gear possible, from asari-grade optronics, Cube-level biotic implants, human-produced booby traps, and more.

All CSOG uniforms are full-body armor and helmet. The most you will be able to tell from each member is their species, and even then asari, human, and drell have similar body types. All helmets are equipped with speech synthesizers, which scramble the sound and gender of the soldier in question. CSOG _never_ identifies themselves when on operation, and there is no public list of who is and isn't CSOG.

Their uniforms utilize active camo, though default to a matte black. Their armor has no insignia or known affiliation. Nothing which ties them to the Council outside of the quality of their equipment. The custom-fitted armor also means that no CSOG uniform will look exactly the same, which can further obfuscate their operations.

Their weapons range from the conventional to the unique. Sunfire pistols are fairly standard, but several CSOG supposedly prefer more unorthodox weaponry, from warp swords to omni-axes. We were unable to determine if exotic weaponry such as black nano was permitted, though there are indications that CSOG has utilized it at times. In theory, they could make a request, though we were unable to find records if such a request was made.

Each soldier who is recruited into CSOG is a hardened veteran of their special forces unit of origin. It's your track record that gets you in, not anything else. There aren't any initiation trials or rituals. If you're part of CSOG, you've already earned your place, and no one questions your capabilities.

There is an expectation that each soldier of CSOG earn their keep all day, every day. CSOG doesn't take days off. If they're not on operations, they're training in the Cube, or attending strategy meetings, or in the gym. Since the Benezia Incident, they'd doubled down on this work ethic, even as they've expanded their numbers.

Notably, CSOG is also briefed on the Reaper threat, which likely explains why they did not become complacent after the geth pockets were destroyed. A word of warning is advised, in that CSOG could very well be used against Broker locations and assets in the future. As CINT has become more hostile, it is possible this will shift into recommending direct action against the Broker Network.

It is best we be prepared.

* * *

**THE CITADEL SPECIAL TASKS GROUP**

**OVERVIEW**: If the Citadel Special Operations Group is the sword of the Citadel Council, the Citadel Special Tasks Group is the scalpel. Small, exclusively composed of veteran STG operatives, and older than almost every Citadel institution, the CSTG is one of the most enigmatic and effective organizations under the control of the Citadel.

Their numbers have ranged from twelve to twenty STG units. Prior to the Benezia Incident, their number was approximately fourteen. Post-Benezia Incident, this number has risen to eighteen. The limited structure of the CSTG teams allows for extreme scalability in either direction, as STG teams have a pre-built hierarchy, and all of them answer to the Commander of the Citadel Special Tasks Group.

There is a fair bit of confusion as to what CSTG usually _does_. Publicly, most believe that they are the Council's support to SPECTRE operations, in direct or indirect methods. This is not inaccurate – CSTG has provided information and passive support to SPECTRE operations before, but the SPECTREs have their own information brokers, CINT, and the Broker Network which they tend to prefer over CSTG. A prominent belief, but largely overblown.

The next logical extrapolation is the CSTG is an overt extra-Citadel intelligence branch. Citadel Intelligence rarely acts beyond Citadel Station, so the CSTG being the exterior intel operations group makes sense. This is also partially true. CSTG has certainly undertaken more traditional intelligence operations of sabotage, information gathering, and assassination, but this could be done by simply expanding the mandate of CINT.

It may be surprising to learn that a majority of CSTG personnel are _not_ traditional field agents, as portrayed in extranet action vids. Roughly a third of them are, the rest are composed of data scientists, sociologists, xenopsychologists, political scientists, and specialists who are experts in group dynamics, religions and cults, and other social subjects.

This group, as the name implies handles _special tasks_, ones which cannot be as easily be solved by a traditional organization like CINT, or easily handled by a single SPECTRE. CSTG deals with complex issues that the Council determines could undermine or threaten the hold of the Citadel on the galaxy, in direct and indirect ways.

This primarily takes the forms of social and digital movements, both large and small. Seemingly innocuous trends and sentiments that, if left unchecked, could grow out of control and could lead to dangerous levels of change. You will probably notice that the Council has changed remarkably little over the years as an institution, which you do not get without being extremely overt in suppressing dissent – or very subtle at it.

The Citadel has, if not been viewed in a positive light, has been viewed with neutrality at the worst throughout its history. There are some exceptions, such as the krogan and batarians, but considering the Council does not consider them vital parts of the galactic community, this dissent is allowed. Preferable, even, as there is an enemy to use.

This galactic perception can be traced directly to the work of CSTG. CINT performs the same mission, but confines itself to Citadel Station. CSTG is what maintains the influence of the Citadel beyond. There are a notable number of groups that spring up with the express purpose of challenging, defying, or advocating for the abolition or withdrawal of the Citadel from worlds, species, or governments.

All of these groups are delusional, but they are activists more focused on a cause than the actual pragmatic implementation. They don't need to be. All social movements need to be successful is to be simple, catchy, and tap into underlying public sentiment. CSTG monitors the vast majority of their groups, identifies the most problematic ones, and sets about dismantling them.

The issue, of course, is that many times these groups are based under the species government in question. CSTG quickly found a means of working around this by directly approaching the governments or leaders in question; the Thirty, SIX, High Lords (or subordinates), and Hierarchy. The argument is framed in a way as to imply that CSTG will similarly be removing issues that threaten their _own_ governments, in addition to those that threaten the Council.

This is often good enough, and the CSTG is given reign to operate within their space, so long as they inform them who and what they are targeting. The High Lords in particular have sanctioned a significant number of CSTG operations, as while they have removed movements and groups dangerous to Council influence, they have often been 'problematic' for the High Lords in various ways.

A win-win for everyone involved.

These groups are often dismantled by a combination of psychological exploitation, infowar, field infiltration, sabotage, or in rare cases, direct assassination. The latter is almost never needed, as the internal purity tests of these groups are ludicrously restrained, and they will often eat themselves if it is revealed that one person said something disagreeable by the group at large, or has some other secret that they wish to keep buried. Browsing history is often a powerful humiliation tactic, that will exacerbate internal tensions, and lead to the group fracturing, all without firing a shot.

If that is unlikely to work? Turn the spotlight on them. When a group is small, it is easy to harness the power of overwhelming numbers, and the sheer weight of mockery and shame is powerful, and will often demoralize the group when they see memes, videos, and people openly mocking their message. CSTG has no interest in the groups that have attracted their attention growing, and have no qualms about smothering them in the crib.

Finally, there are the major operations that are mobilized to suppress a legitimate rebellion. To date, an insurgency like this has only been during the Terminus Incident, where the CSTG was first formed. That is one of the most 'traditional' operations CSTG took in their history, which was a standard neutralizing of an insurgency over a long period. A fine display of their capabilities, but their methods have become significantly more refined since then. Their role is to prevent the rebellion from forming, not stop it after it already has.

The second instance _might_ have been Aria and Omega, had the Omega Standoff not ended in the manner it did. The Commander at the time was furious that no action was taken against Aria, and resigned in protest, as did many CSTG operatives. The Council briefly had to scramble to fill that void, and this resulted in most of CSTG holding a historical hatred towards Aria, and supposedly maintain a dozen different operational plans for her removal, and have her and Omega on a constant 'Delegitimization' campaign, which you can thank for the utterly abysmal reputation Aria has in Citadel space.

It is best not to make an enemy of CSTG. If they don't kill you, they will make you wish they had.

**BRIEF HISTORICAL NOTATIONS**:

Truthfully, too many to accurately comment on.

Nonetheless, there are a number which are worth highlighting. I will move past the Terminus Incident, since that was already covered in an earlier section, and there are other major events where they had a hand in. The first was the Krogan Rebellions, and everything which led up to it. CSTG attempted multiple delegitimization operations, quashing several pro-krogan groups that wanted to give them additional colonies, which were successful against most aliens, but krogan themselves were extremely difficult to affect. They weren't as technically savvy, had tight bonds within their clans, and rarely cared about outside approval. This is the largest reason the CSTG was unable to prevent the Rebellions from starting.

During the Rebellions, they worked to stoke continual outrage and fear against the krogan, assisted in the positive perception of the arrival of the turians and volus, and to this day maintains a close watch on people and groups which claim that the genophage was a crime, and call for reversal.

The quarians have always been problematic for the CSTG, as they are also fairly difficult to control as a group, especially since the Council and Admiralty clashed at multiple points around AI research and spying. CSTG usually responded by framing the narrative as the quarians being childish and petulant, in comparison to the parental and mature Council. By the time of the Morning War, the negative perception of the quarians contributed to almost no backlash by the Council refusing to intervene.

CSTG has also engaged in delegitimization operations on the Migrant Fleet, and the stereotype of the greedy and inconsiderate suit rat has its roots in CSTG psychological operations. It is one of their most successful, though has not become somewhat problematic now that the quarians are now not only part of the Citadel, but the Council itself.

The CSTG were instrumental in the buildup to the First Refusal War, and it was also one of their most successful operations, though we are all aware how this ultimately ended. It was during this time that CSTG perfected ideal means of bringing a previously peaceful population to calling for war – something they would utilize in the future.

The Second Krogan Rebellions are also worth looking into from the perspective of CSTG, as they were forced to covertly support Aria in contrast to Wrang. It was a worst case scenario from their perspective, as their options were either Wrang – a krogan warlord – or Aria – a threat they believed they should have removed. Both parties hated by CSTG and CSTG worked against them both.

They did not hide the atrocities of Wrang and the devastation he and the Blood Pack caused – it was useful for whipping the population into a frenzy – if one was not willing to support a _direct_ intervention. Another open war was not something desirable. CSTG did not spare Aria in the realm of public opinion either. She was portrayed as weak, hapless, and incapable of keeping control – with constant reminders that she was a seditionist criminal. It was a counterbalance the CSTG maintained, enough outrage to drive unofficial support to counter Wrang, and enough apathy that no one _really_ wanted to join a war between two criminal factions.

CSTG got to again put their skills in driving a population to war in the leadup to the Second Refusal War, which was accomplished thanks to the discovery of the drell, and the manipulation of their situation. CSTG had this down to a science, and it can be considered another success – albeit with dubious results. The Commander at the time was skeptical that engaging the hanar was wise, but was overruled. Like the Shadow Broker, the Council would have done well to listen to him during that time.

When the batarians started becoming problematic as the humans began colonizing the Traverse, the Council picked a side, and the CSTG got to work delegitimizing and subverting the batarians. It was remarkably easy to do thanks to…well, what the batarians are. It is not difficult to turn public opinion against a species of misogynistic slaver rapists. The final impassioned outburst of the batarian ambassador to the Council before the batarians left was thoroughly mocked and memed, and it became so sensational it resulted in that ambassador's execution when he returned, so great was his humiliation.

Since then, CSTG has been working to maintain the negative perception of batarians – by far their easiest task.

**OPERATIONAL STATUS**: CSTG is obviously in operation, and while there are many of their operations they are continuing, there are a few that are worth directly highlighting in more detail, as well as some possibilities for the future.

In recent decades, the batarian SIU has become a major issue, as their own sophisticated operations have caught CSTG off-guard, and allowed the perpetuation of batarian ideals and views to begin growing. This is an unacceptable development, and CSTG is working overtime, both to counter the SIU, generate a mass-psychological shift to be resistant to batarian ideology, and has coordinated closely with Citadel Intelligence who has been able to achieve success preventing the SIU from gaining an ideological foothold on Citadel Station.

CSTG has also been forced to begin slowly reversing all of the anti-quarian propaganda, which is an arduous task that will take years to fully remove the subconscious stigma embedded in the minds of many, though the quarian assistance in the Benezia Incident generated a significant amount of goodwill – which is what CSTG is capitalizing on. This operation should be watched, as it may be the first time CSTG has been forced to reverse something they have created.

It is suspected that when the Council has determined how to handle the Geth or Reapers, the CSTG will be utilized, as they have many times before, to prepare the population for war. Considering what both groups have done, it will probably not be difficult to sell the population on retaliation. There is no doubt the CSTG is capable of this, the only question is who the target will be.

One concern worth noting is that CSTG is agnostic to the Broker Network, and avoids using it when they can. They have, overall, accepted the Network as a necessary evil, and not made propaganda efforts against us. With the gradual perception shift that is taking place throughout the Citadel Council, there is a concern that this neutrality could change.

Citadel Intelligence is leading this shift, and we should not assume that if they are successful, CSTG will sit on the sidelines.

* * *

**CITADEL INTELLIGENCE**

**OVERVIEW**: Citadel Intelligence is an enemy of the Broker Network.

This is something we are all acutely aware of at this point, but until now we did not know the exact reason for _why_ Citadel Intelligence removed itself from our control, let alone _how_. Historically, CINT and the Broker Network have had an amicable relationship, and cooperated on multiple matters. There was an understanding between us and them, and there were no indications that it was in jeopardy.

Following the Benezia Incident, CINT has undergone a paradigm shift far outside expected contingencies – which can inevitably be traced back to the appointment of Iridian Fidel as Director of Citadel Intelligence, which was followed by the mass resignation of _every_ senior intelligence official, and hundreds of senior operatives, all of whom were amicable, if not friendly to the Broker Network.

Exactly who this particular salarian is and what he signals will be detailed in his dossier further below. What is important is that he has ensured that Citadel Intelligence is a problem we are, as of now, unable to properly deal with, and operations on the Citadel _will_ be more dangerous as a result.

To shift to an actual overview of Citadel Intelligence, this is their actual mission: to protect Citadel Station, ensure the stability of the Council, acquire intelligence in a timely and accurate manner, and provide counter-intelligence operations on Citadel-controlled locations and planets. For reasons I can only flare my mandibles at, they are also one of the most invisible groups operating today.

Even the racial governments are only tangibly aware that Citadel Intelligence even exists. This can _perhaps_ be attributed to two reasons, the first being that CINT almost exclusively operates on the Citadel and will only move beyond the station if they are following a lead, or there are extenuating circumstances. CINT does _not_ have an exterior presence – that falls under the umbrella of CSOG and CSTG.

Thus, many underestimate them, forgetting that Citadel Station is the heart of power in this galaxy, and any organization that not only has a presence, but actively _dominates_ the espionage scene is a force that punches far above its own weight. Also contributing to this perception is that CINT has strived to keep a relatively low profile overall.

Make no mistake, beyond the Broker Network, Citadel Intelligence is the dominant player on the Citadel. Everything that people assume is being watched by, or is compromised by other intelligence agencies has _long_ been compromised by Citadel Intelligence. There are people who think that _Aria T'Loak_ is an influential presence on the Citadel when that is pure disinformation spread by CINT to hide their own penetration into the criminal and social circles of the station – which is not to say Aria has no presence on the station, but what is rumored is so vastly overblown it has become ridiculous.

They are easily one of the most powerful organizations to exist from a legal standpoint, as their previously documented domination of the Subcommittee on Privacy and Intelligence states. CINT has outsized operational power, and they have maneuvered themselves into a position where curtailing them would be actively damaging to the Council – ironically they have reached such a position as a result of cooperation with the Broker Network in the past.

This is one last detail to highlight – the STG is an entity you would expect to not sleep on CINT. They haven't, nor have they similarly designated CINT as a major concern, which is very unlike the STG. The STG Master purportedly views CINT as a _neutral_ party – at least in the sense that they do not pose a threat to the STG, and has instructed the STG to not antagonize them.

The question, obviously, is if STG has compromised Citadel Intelligence. The answer is complicated. Ultimately, no, but there is a reason why STG does not view them as a rival or threat, and it is directly tied to the current Director of Citadel Intelligence. Refer to his dossier for further details.

**STRUCTURE**: Citadel Intelligence is broken into five distinct divisions, each focusing on a specific topic or field. The number of divisions has shifted throughout the years, sometimes fewer, sometimes more. More recently the Dredgen Division was founded as a result of the Dredgen Initiative. Details on each of the divisions are as follows:

Station Analysis: Citadel Intelligence processes a frankly absurd amount of data on a daily basis, and all of this data is too overwhelming for a standard analysis team to turn into something usable. Station Analysis is a Broker-level analysis wing utilizing machine intelligences, augmented agents, _shackled AIs_, and numerous other methods which they legally can, but the average worker, intelligence official, let alone _civilian_ has no idea about.

The reason that CINT not only knows so much, but can _also_ utilize it effectively, is purely the result of this division. They are packed to the brim with some of the smartest individuals throughout the galaxy. You can't seek them out. If you distinguish yourself in certain circles, they will come to you.

The Coordination Department: The second major component that defines CINT is their level of sophisticated planning and execution in their operations. It is tight, laser-focused, and an outsized portion of their operations go off _exactly_ as planned. The level of coordination here is nothing short of impressive from a professional standpoint. Everything from the largest objectives to the smallest details is planned out.

You can thank obsessive volus and salarians for this level of sophistication. It takes talent to be able to compile everything relevant into a digestible package, and then _take_ the package and plan an operation out of it. This is what the Coordination Department does every single day. Everyone from the managers to the agents is involved in the stages of planning. Contingencies are hammered out in detail, and there are a minimum of three paths where any given operation is anticipated to go, and all of them are acceptable to carry out.

Becoming part of the Coordination Department is a mixture of experience and raw skill. Individuals do not get moved there until they are familiar with the operations of CINT. In rare cases they will perform outside recruitments, but they almost exclusively prefer to recruit in-house from other divisions.

The Surveillance and Assessment Department: Internally known as the "List-Keepers", this division is where much of the passive observation of the Citadel takes place. Thanks to the massive surveillance apparatus which is the Citadel, thanks to a combination of AVINA, copious amounts of security cameras, millions of smaller bugs, the only places where the Citadel does not have eyes and ears are the racial embassies.

It is worth noting that having the _ability_ does not mean having the _capability_. Simply because CINT _can_ watch you almost wherever you go on the Citadel, rarely means they actually _are_. But if they _do_ need to track you? They can do so extremely efficiently. The mission of this division is to locate any individuals who are outside of the norm, non-state actors, state actors, and criminal elements, and determine an appropriate next step.

Surveillance is only one aspect. Assessment is the second. Every individual they consider worth noting has an assessment for them. The majority are along the lines of 'keep observing', but a few trigger direct intervention or termination. Persons of interest include everyone from politicians to celebrities, to activists, to criminals. There is _no one_ who falls outside the purview of this division – and since the Benezia Incident, SPECTREs also fall under this directive, whereas previously they had been exempt.

CINT has been able to pinpoint a significant amount of active state and Broker actors on the Citadel at a given time. Most of the time, this amounts to nothing more than 'Don't intervene unless they do something', but the policy towards known Broker operatives has changed to 'terminate'.

Unfortunately, Tetrimus can no longer stride into the Council Chambers without triggering a full-on mobilization of CINT hit squads ready to trigger a doomsday contingency against the Broker Network. Hence why it was mentioned earlier how operations on the Citadel have become far more dangerous.

Field Operations Division: The largest division of CINT is by far their Field Operations Division, though this term is slightly misleading. Only a fraction of the actual individuals 'employed' by this division are legitimately intelligence agents that carry out expected espionage operations.

The rest are a collection of… consultants in a sense. Civilians of all species, businesses, and companies who have no idea they're working with CINT. CINT operates through several hundred shell companies, usually based around marketing, research, surveys, and so on, where they solicit opinions, news, and information from all corners of the Citadel. The individuals are well-compensated, and very often CINT is on top of the latest trends _everywhere_ – or actively influencing them.

An aspect of this division which should also be concerning is that Field Operations heavily employs psyops on a level the Systems Alliance would be jealous of. The fact that they have taken their inspiration from the _Batarian Special Intervention Unit_ – specifically the _mind conquest_ aspect should raise significant alarm bells.

What initially started out as an operation to dismantle SIU influence on the Citadel changed when CINT was so impressed with their sophistication, that they stole the concept, married it with STG and Discerning tactics, and utilized it on the Citadel and beyond. This will be detailed a bit further down, but sociologists have made some interesting notes about Citadel culture, and that is _directly_ attributable to CINT.

The Dredgen Division: There actually is not a significant amount to say on this, much to my initial surprise. Under normal circumstances, this would fall under Field Operations, and the only reason it doesn't is because of the nature of the mission – which is the assessment, observation, and if necessary, termination of indoctrinated individuals.

The Dredgen Division has access to the lists managed by the Dredgen Initiative proper, and works closely with them to provide updates, ensure compliance, and protect the Citadel from Reaper influence. Even if Dredgen had not proposed her idea, it is almost certain that CINT would have made that a mission of their own.

**IMPACT AND OPERATIONAL CAPABILITY**: It has been mentioned already, but it is worth repeating. Citadel Intelligence dominates the espionage scene on the Citadel. The Broker Network is equivalent, but the AIS, Discerning, Aria, Unseen Cloud, and even the STG have an inferior presence.

Citadel Intelligence has the legal authority to do things that no operating intelligence organization would _attempt_ to do – and they are not hesitant to employ every single trick and tactic they can. This has resulted in their invisible hand being everywhere on the Citadel. It is almost certain that they took inspiration from the Broker Network in their operational model – with a healthy input of SIU and Discerning included.

Summing up their capabilities as merely those of standard intelligence organizations is doing them a disservice. While they field extremely competent assassins, observers, and agents in their own right, their true capabilities lie in their powerful data gathering and analysis, and their own Mind Conquest missions (Internally referred to as a "Mind Hack").

First, here are some facts about the Citadel population. According to multiple surveys, when asked, a majority of Citadel residents are strong supporters of the Council, and would like to see it expanded. Nearly seventy-percent have a more positive opinion of the Council after visiting Citadel Station. Ninety percent said they developed an appreciation for Citadel member species, and opinions of non-Council species fell by a significant amount.

Being on the Citadel for too long _will_ change how you think. This is the result of Citadel Intelligence psyops, where the Mind Conquest techniques of the SIU have been turned towards influencing loyalty to the Council, which is augmented by Discerning manipulation. CINT has operatives who lead double lives, and hold fairly prominent positions at every level of Citadel society, from the highest echelons of the Council to the lowest elements of the Wards.

Do you ever wonder why you rarely see media or art critical of the Citadel Council on or from the Citadel? Is it ever noticed that many people you encounter have a potentially surprising amount of support for it? How many have experienced a hint of frustration or anger towards their racial government when they object to something the Council does, or resist expanding it?

Citadel Station culture is an artificial creation the likes of which the SIU would be jealous of. While the Asari and SIU focused their efforts directly against racial governments, they failed to adequately secure the Citadel in the same way – leaving CINT to fill that void – and brutally push out everyone else.

Seven years ago three dozen asari were abducted in the dead of night by CINT and quietly deported to Thessia. All of them were Discerning, in a clear message to the Thirty that the Citadel was Council territory, and overt meddling would not be tolerated. Known SIU operatives or those compromised by the SIU were terminated, and part of the psyop has not only been preventing SIU influence, but subtly shaping the minds to be resistant to SIU machinations.

The arts and culture scene of the Citadel is overrun with CINT influencers. Local celebrities which rise to galactic prominence are groomed assets who are deployed at regular intervals when the Citadel needs a positive influence. Do you think it was a coincidence that over thirty percent of the 'top fifty up and coming artists' rose to viral prominence after the Benezia Incident, with their commemorative songs and music championing the 'resilience of the Citadel' and heavily promoting themes of unity and cooperation?

It exists far beyond the arts scenes. Prostitution rings, merc groups, and of course C-Sec is dominated by CINT groups. Interstellar mercenary groups struggle to keep recruiters or representatives on the Citadel because so many of them quit and join the CDF or C-Sec, becoming disillusioned with the merc lifestyle. The Consort's little operation is overrun by CINT influencers.

Most who are aware believe that the Discerning are the primary operatives under the Consort. For a time, they were. They have since been replaced by CINT operatives who carry out their mission.

It seems likely their influence operations will soon shift to turn against the Broker Network. We must be prepared for this shift.

* * *

**CITADEL HIGH COMMAND**

**OVERVIEW**: At the heart of Citadel military decision-making is Citadel High Command. A small, exclusive council of the heads of each of the previously-described organizations and units. Together they set policy, standards, strategy, budget, and tone for each militant arm of the Citadel. Notably, they do _not_ have influence over the SPECTREs, though work with them closely.

Their activities also include, but are not limited to briefing the Council over any defense topics, directly interacting with racial militaries, planning joint training exercises, and other bureaucratic functions which are ultimately not impressive. What _is_ worth noting is that every single individual listed is dangerous in their own right.

These are not apathetic men and women who haven't held a weapon or been in a battle in years. They train regularly, keep in practice with their favorite tools or biotic techniques, and have an intimate understanding of the capabilities of the soldiers they lead which other military commanders sometimes lack.

It is worth looking at each of them in detail:

**RATHION VOX, SUPREME COMMANDER OF THE CITADEL DEFENSE FORCE**: I feel compelled to point out that the original title was "Commander of the Citadel Defense Force". Simple, workable, and understandable. Rathion Vox instead gets appointed, and one of the first changes he made was the clarification that the role was _Supreme_ Commander.

And thus, it became so.

Beyond this mildly humorous anecdote, Rathion Vox is one of the most prestigious appointments to the position since the inception of the Citadel Defense Force. A master SKYTALON pilot who clawed his way to Praetorium in the Ranks of Valor, becoming a General, he has been at the highest levels of the Hierarchy for nearly a decade.

In that time, he has commanded dozens of combat operations, continually ensured that the SkyTalon suits were modernized, upgraded, and expanded, personally went on multiple combat operations, and had a near-perfect success rate. What separates him from other turians of similar ranks is that he is easily the most well-traveled of all of them.

He is intimately familiar with the Alliance military, and participated in joint training on a regular basis. He is also very embedded in the fledgling Volus Defense Force, and is actually a consultant for the VDF who regularly keep him apprised of matters and developments. He's had stints with the Asari Commando, toured several worlds which are supposedly unimportant, but are STG training camps.

This extends beyond Citadel-aligned militaries. He's tracked down obscure drell biotics, spent quite a lot of his own money acquiring videos of hanar ship engagements, Blue Sun training camps, Blood Pack initiation rituals, Eclipse specialist classes, and Krogan clan rituals. He is connected with an absurd amount of prominent military and non-military figures, and meets with Okeer on an annual basis where they talk about everything from extranet drama to high-level military strategy.

Vox appears to be doing this for two reasons.

The first is that he does not appear to necessarily trust many of the Citadel – mostly the governments, but we know that he holds a number of high-ranking alien military figures in personal contempt, despite interacting with them previously. He personally despises many of the Thirty, finds their military leaders not much better, considers most of the Human admirals compromised by the High Lords or corporations, and has privately described the salarians as 'only capable of winning a false war'.

In his mind, if there are any issues with said factions, then he now has an intimate knowledge of their internal workings which you simply do not get from a bland report. This is made clear in his research of major mercenary groups, and even fringe threats like the hanar. The more he knows, the more he can tailor the defense.

The second is that he is rather open to new ideas in comparison to most of his brethren. He is not averse to taking inspiration from other militaries, and applying it to his own forces. For example, he has made some modifications to the SkyTalon operations based on some of what he saw from the Alliance DACT.

He takes this inspired approach from the turians within the Primacy Circle shortly after the First Refusal War who performed an autopsy on what was working, what wasn't working, and how to best address it. Vox is privately concerned that if there is a Third Refusal War, or something worse, the Hierarchy will not be adequately prepared.

A rather sober-minded individual. Enter his appointment as Supreme Commander.

He is not a major military figure at first glance to the public (for as much as the public pays attention to military figures), but with this context, you can likely see why his name was put forward. He is intimately familiar with disparate alien militaries, has worked with many of them, and if anyone could manage a cohesive multi-species coalition, it would be him.

Since he was appointed, the CDF has become _significantly_ more cohesive. Previous (Supreme) Commanders were largely content to perform basic drills, and try and hope that there was not intra-unit infighting. Units were actually segregated by species for a long time (though was ended before Vox was appointed). Vox expanded this and made multi-species units as the standard, added numerous drills and exercises to build cohesion, and scheduled regular tours of CDF soldiers to various species militaries.

There is also a concerted – and remarkably subtle – effort to slowly erode racial and government loyalties in favor of the Citadel itself. It is a remarkably deceptive indoctrination program, which I suspect was inspired in some part by his visits with the STG, conversations with Okeer, and unique perspective on alien soldier mindsets. It's far too clever for a regular hierarchy turian, even one of the Praetorium.

Vox is greatly respected by the rank and file, is looked upon favorably by every Citadel military, and has a good relationship with the Council and High Command. He is the modern architect of the CDF, and is still notably very good with a SKYTALON suit, and maintains his own shooting range he uses daily.

Do not underestimate him, or the people he is connected to.

**MATRIARCH MOIRAS VALLIA, GRAND ADMIRAL OF THE CITADEL FLEET**: This asari has one of the most accomplished military histories of anyone alive today. While it is not uncommon for young maidens to spend a few centuries moving between military services, such as the Commandos, most will transition to less exciting roles once they hit the matron years.

Moiras Vallia is one such exception. From her earliest years she has been involved in the asari military and fleet. Born within the Greater Houses, she was afforded a number of opportunities that others were not, and she took advantage of all of them. Moiras is _old_; to provide an idea of what this woman has gone through her service record should be a good indication.

She participated first in the Krogan Rebellions, then the First Refusal War, the Second Krogan Rebellions, the Second Refusal War, and now the Benezia Incident. If there has been a major war that has taken place in the past thousand years, Moiras has been a part of it. Surviving any one of these events is an accomplishment.

In our records, we know of no one else who participated in _all_ of them – and survived.

If she is not the oldest matriarch alive, she is by far the oldest who is holding any kind of public or military role. She is extremely atypical of asari, as most matriarchs at her age would retire to Thessia and begin growing a following, or focusing on their family. Moiras has done none of these things. Her one and only bondmate (another asari) died in the First Refusal War and she has not bonded again, instead devoting herself fully to military service.

She has acquired a wealth of knowledge, and has seen more war than anyone outside of perhaps Okeer and a few other krogan. No other asari can claim as much, as most only participated in _one_ of these major events – not multiple, and certainly not _all_ of them. She is universally respected by all officers (even xenophobic officers cannot deny her knowledge and skill), and is held up as one of the most significant asari alive today.

She has more commendations and medals than many of her peers combined. The asari are not known for their war heroes, but Moiras is perhaps the singular exception – one people of all types look up to. At least publicly.

Moiras has become more and more distant from her family the longer she has served. There was urging from some of the matriarchs for her to retire, and she stubbornly refused them. As the years have passed, she seems to have grown disillusioned with the Thirty, and has snubbed them on multiple occasions – including ceremonies which would have commemorated her.

Most of the Thirty do not like her, and the feeling seems to be reciprocated. The dislike is subtle, though, and largely confined to social escapades. The Thirty cannot exactly act against her, outside of excluding her in social circles and polite society – which they eventually started doing. Moiras didn't seem to mind, though there is without doubt a connection between this, and her concerted efforts to recruit clanless into the Citadel Fleet.

Her appointment to Grand Admiral was one which was a long time coming, and she was unanimously appointed to the position close to a half-century ago, and has since been managing her newly practical and political position carefully, focused previously on internal cohesion before wider-scale reforms which she must have known would generate pushback.

The Benezia Incident has proven to be the catalyst for action. Backed by High Command and the Council, she is seeking to complete her vision of a unified Citadel Fleet – one greater than any that has existed before. This is, to date, the first time she has actively used her reputation to get results. She previously eschewed the spotlight nor bragged about her history; given what she has seen and experienced in all theaters of war, this is understandable.

Having now extracted concessions and ships from the member species, she has now effectively become the leader of the most powerful fleet in the galaxy. A fleet like this under her control, and drawing upon her vast knowledge, will be unlike any the galaxy has seen before. I do not know if we fully grasp who we are dealing with.

We should not forget this woman is at least as experienced as Okeer – and more importantly – considers him an acquaintance as he is one of the few with the same deep experience and knowledge as he does. Her ties are with other prominent military officials in multiple species – and notably very few matriarchs of the Thirty.

For better or worse, she appears to have decided that she can live without them, and has thrown her lot in fully with the Citadel. Given where she is now, she is likely thinking she made the right choice. The Thirty are likely still annoyed with her, but she is one of the few asari that they cannot touch in the realm of public opinion – or, truthfully, touch at all.

Only a fool would think they could take on a woman who has fought a Remembrance Dancer and lived – or the thousands of other bodies she has created in her centuries-long record of war. While she is no longer a foot soldier, her abilities have certainly not diminished. Treat her carefully.

**SORA CORIATH, EXECUTOR OF THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS GROUP**: The role of the Executor within the Citadel Special Operations Group is unique throughout the unit. The Executor is the principle leader, an active operational participant (though usually only on important operations). Interestingly, the position at one point was completely non-operations, then a turian was appointed, and started taking direct action, and from there the standard was set, and now all Executors are expected to similarly take part in operations.

Beyond that, they also act as the chief strategist and politician of the unit. They sit on Citadel High Command, are the ones who present operational objectives and briefings to the Council or other relevant groups, and are responsible for managing recruitment, tone, and regimes. Their role as negotiator is very important, since sometimes the governments aren't eager to let some to their best go.

Sora Coriath is formerly an accomplished Blackwatch operative, and one of the relatively rare females who climbed the ranks to that unit. She is not, however, the most accomplished, and from a military standpoint, there were better options. However, what she _excels_ in is the management and organization aspects of command, which was what ultimately led to her recommendation for the position of Executor.

She had already been a part of CSOG for five years, participated in numerous operations, led the defense of the Wards after the previous Executor died, and is well-respected by her peers. She has been involved in strategic planning, and had been pushing for an expansion of CSOG for several years previously.

She is intimately familiar with every single aspect of CSOG, and upon her appointment, immediately began efforts to replace the numbers lost, by making a tour around Citadel space, visiting military leaders of all species to lobby for replacement soldiers – particularly hitting the new Council species hard. She was overwhelmingly successful, and capitalized on the moment, and of course the fear of potential future attacks.

Now in charge, Sora could enact several notable reforms and additions to CSOG. The active recruitment of drell to the operations side was a major step, one she actively had to fight for. While their capabilities were not in question, High Command was extremely wary of deeper integration, as they remembered stories of infiltrator drell from the Second Refusal War. She said they would undergo an asari link to prove their loyalty. This was permitted, and High Command relented and allowed the addition to proceed.

CSOG now also has a small team of volus which are, while technically _not_ CSOG proper, are attached to the unit, and only work for them, optimizing their finances, paperwork, and on standby for any legal questions. They are not fully clued into the operational side, but it is the first time there has been a dedicated team explicitly focused on the CSOG finance and regulation side, which had previously been internally managed, usually by the Executor, who usually outsourced it to the CDF.

Beyond these additions, Sora has been making more focused recruitment efforts in an attempt to 'balance' CSOG. Right now she believes that there are too many marksman, demolitions experts, and infantry, and not enough infowar specialists, medics, and trappers. She's made cross-training a central pillar of her training regime in an effort to create a more well-rounded CSOG, which has begun bearing some fruit, and will make it more dangerous in the future.

Sora is a driven and accomplished Executor, one who was optimally chosen in the aftermath of the Benezia Incident. She is on the older end of operatives, and there is speculation that she will retire within a few years once her changes have had time to mature. In this respect, we should consider her a transitional leader, and the next one will be the Executor who leads CSOG into war.

**AEDON MAS, COMMANDER OF THE COUNCIL SPECIAL TASKS GROUP**: Compared to some of the individuals on this list, Aedon Mas has a fairly normal background – or at least a background one would expect for a group of this nature. He is a former STG agent from one of the analysis units that reported directly to the STG Master, though we were unable to determine what _kind_ of analysis he took part in.

Based on his technical and educational profile, we can make some extrapolations. He has acquired doctorates in political science, xenopsychology, and sociology – all prime fields in demand for the mission of the CSTG, and it is wholly unsurprising that he was tapped to fill the role of Commander.

He has been with CSTG for a remarkably long period of time – seven years. The average tenure of Commander is three to four. Mas appears to enjoy his work quite a bit, and while he has not published any academic papers since taking command, he _has_ been attached to a number of low-profile studies and papers exploring major sociological topics, usually those around group dynamics.

Mas, unlike many of his contemporaries, maintains that singularly-focused and cohesive groups are actually easier to disrupt and destroy than those composed of a larger ideological spectrum. As he views it, the more united a group is, the more intolerant they are to internal dissent and more likely to enforce ideological purity.

The exposing of ideological impurity, genuine or manufactured, is often enough to cause such groups to self-destruct, create fissures and tensions, engender mistrust in each other, and demoralize the group as a whole. He advocates that prior to the shattering of a group, they should first be manipulated to adopt such stringent ideological guidelines, as it becomes a shatterpoint further into the operation.

Mas is an avid historical reader, and in particular has an interest in stories of rebellions and civil wars – both successful and unsuccessful. Turian and human history in particular is filled with such uprisings and rebellions. While he also has an interest in wars, it is focused on the 'who', 'how', and '_why'_ of the war – particularly how nations and factions convinced vast swathes of people to fight for a cause.

This man has an intimate understanding of the components of war, group dynamics, and ideologies. There is no belief, religion, or political group that Mas has not read, researched, and determined its weakness – and he has employed this knowledge many times before as he plots to suppress dissent within Citadel Space.

His ties to the STG exist, but he does not appear to be under the control of them, as he sees the prosperity and safety of the Salarian Union tied intrinsically to that of the Citadel. Protecting one protects the other in his view. He is not someone to be underestimated, and it says something that he is only the second-most dangerous salarian on this list.

**IRIDIAN FIDEL, DIRECTOR OF CITADEL INTELLIGENCE**: There are a number of salarians which are wily, intelligent, and very, very dangerous. The strength of the salarians has always been their minds, and we judge them through that lens. Occasionally there is an exception, such as Tazzik, but it takes a special salarian to stand out from the pack.

Currently, the Broker Network judges the STG Master, Councilor Valern, and the SIX as the most dangerous salarians alive, albeit for different reasons. I submit that Director Iridian Fidel, of Citadel Intelligence belongs in this number, and is arguably more dangerous than half of them. The reason that we have never encountered him before is, frankly, until his appointment, he did not exist.

This requires an explanation as to his origins.

The original designation of Iridian Fidel was ALTERATION-45g. While the majority of even the salarians _assigned_ to the Alteration Project are only intimately familiar with ALTERATION-47c (commonly known as 'Tazzik'), he was far from the only outstanding success. ALTERATION-40 to ALTERATION-45 experiments were focused on augmenting the neural and processing capabilities of salarians, which at the time was theorized to create a more stable Wheel Priest. It was…successful, in a sense. Partially successful. Almost every single one of the subjects went insane.

All except one. ALTERATION-45g. The last subject, who not only survived, but was remarkably stable. Alteration scientists were waiting for him to crack, but he never did. Only a _very small_ number of people were aware that he was even alive, which is why we never made an inquiry; otherwise I suspect we would have attempted to acquire him instead of Tazzik.

We do not know if Iridian Fidel is a name he chose for himself, or one given to him. It doesn't especially matter. For years only the STG Master and a few high-ranking STG agents even had access to him, and half of those had no idea who or what he was. Physically, Fidel is not unique. His physical size is not outside the standard, nor is he faster or stronger than baseline salarians.

His mind is where the alterations happened. It took an absurd amount of digging, but five years ago, this was mentioned in a direct conversation between Fidel and the STG Master.

"We must determine a means of neutralizing or appropriating the Shadow Broker and the Broker Network."

We have noticed an uptick of STG activity which has been slowly been turned against the Broker Network. It was isolated and sporadic enough to dismiss as chance, but in light of this information, we need to consider the very high likelihood that these are a larger STG effort to neuter the Broker Network.

That is not the concerning part.

At some point, Valern was brought into the loop regarding Fidel, and began determining a way to appoint him as CINT Director. During his appointment, the Broker Network _did_ highlight some red flags, namely that he was most certainly an STG plant, had no discernable background, and Valern was moving to fast-track his appointment.

We believed that he, while an unknown quantity, could be controlled thanks to the working relationship we previously had with CINT. This was a massive mistake. Approximately one week after taking command of Citadel Intelligence, every single ranking CINT figure resigned abruptly.

Two weeks passed, and another wave of resignations. Another two weeks, and the same happened. There was no explanation publicly given, and it appeared to have been a peaceful transition. Nearly five hundred individuals resigned, from senior officials to agents and analysts. The one thing they had in common? All of them were friendly to the Broker Network or had worked with us before.

Our retaliation almost happened before the Network discovered that CINT had a contingency in place in the event of retaliation, and once we had found it, the waves of resignations made sense. Fidel had acquired all of our own information on them, some of which was blackmail, some of which were financial transactions, some of which was evidence of them performing favors or passing us information.

He'd used this to threaten all of them into resigning, which they obviously did, as in polite society, working for the Broker is very frowned upon – especially in matters of state security. To be clear – _this should never have happened_. A thorough audit of our information on them, and who bought it spans _years_.

Most of the time? Shell companies; fronts. An accepted part of our business model, as there are many racial governments who covertly buy compromising information on their people to avoid it falling into the wrong hands. There are certain triggers that exist which will prevent _anyone_ from acquiring a critical mass of information.

The problem is that the STG completely _subverted_ these safeguards and were operating thousands of shell companies representing every species from humans to quarians. The amount of information acquired was in the _trillions_ of credits – a sum of money which, if it was coming from any state, would trigger alarms. The problem is that it _didn't_.

We believe, based on the evidence, that much of this information-gathering operation was assisted by the League of Zero, who provided the information management and credits necessary – as well as the necessary deniability. A massive years-long operation, acquiring pieces of disparate information for the sole purpose of eventually allowing Iridian Fidel to assume control of Citadel Intelligence.

Unfortunately, this was not _all_ he had acquired from the Broker Network. He was in possession of highly damning information related to the High Lords of Sol, the Thirty, Aria, and prominent figures including several past and present Councilors. It was a shot across the bow, where Fidel was actively goading us to act, and was prepared to shatter the galactic order if we tried to suppress him.

One salarian managed to turn one of the greatest strengths of the Broker Network against us. Now he has reformed CINT in his image, carefully picking out his inner circle, promoting agents, and recruiting around the galaxy. The people he chooses are not touched by the Network, and we have limited influence over them.

We are certain that this intelligence-gathering program is still ongoing, and it is REQUIRED that we immediately re-examine our policies regarding data sale and information sensitivity. Information is our lifeblood, but we are in an unprecedented position where said information is being actively used against our interests.

There are some final notes about Fidel, all of which relate to his capabilities. His neural capabilities are significantly enhanced compared to the already-high salarian baseline, and capable of multi-threaded thought comparable to a yagh, and is likely a significant component of how he is able to manage multiple high-level operations simultaneously.

It is certain that he has a perfect memory, is fairly proficient with a pistol, and keeps in reasonable shape. He has a tendency to speak slightly faster than the average salarian, though observers have noted that his tone never changes, nor does he ever stumble over his words. He also rarely blinks, something visitors have noted as disconcerting.

Finally, it was mentioned that he was part of a batch which was specifically to produce a better, stable, Wheel Priest. The question is if Fidel _is_ a Wheel Priest, or has their training, or if his capabilities are limited to his cognition. While we cannot fully confirm, there is extremely strong evidence that even if Fidel is not a Wheel Priest, he has undergone Wheel Priest training.

He has an uncanny skill for intervening in operations on a whim, sometimes pushing them forward, sometimes delaying them, sometimes cutting them short, or making personnel adjustments. Without exception his decisions end up being the right ones – or at least not disastrous.

He is adept at reading people, and every single individual we have since attempted to approach or infiltrate with has been discovered after a single meeting with him. This goes beyond our own agents. STG, AIS, Discerning, all are treated similarly – though there are instances where he will not remove them – likely depending on how much of a threat he considers them.

Fidel's relationship with the STG is also not as clear-cut. It is heavily implied that it has been Fidel, and _not_ the STG Master who conceptualized and ran this entire operation. In practice Fidel does not seem to treat the STG differently than other intelligence organizations, and is apathetic to the SIX from what we have determined. We have dismissed any mental conditioning, as it is unlikely that the STG would have risked tampering with his mind, and damaging his capabilities.

It seems likely that the STG Master is taking a major gamble on if Fidel is reliable, but has judged that Fidel's strategy of taking down the Broker Network is worth following, which takes place concurrently to existing anti-Broker STG operations. It can be assumed that Fidel is sympathetic to the STG, but I am skeptical that he is a pure puppet.

What is important is that he is an enemy, and he is going to be one of the most difficult threats to dislodge from the Network in decades. I will turn that particular operation over to those more experienced. Nonetheless, this is not something which can be tolerated.

We cannot lose our operations on the Citadel, and if Director Fidel is permitted to continue his purge – which has already begun to spread to _C-Sec_ – then we will – and this will open the door to opportunists waiting to follow suit.

* * *

_**Xabiar's Note:** I'm actually slightly optimistic that I will be able to finish up this entire report by the end of the year, assuming there aren't any surprises (it's 2020, so who knows). Special thanks to Sikor and NPC for making some suggestions to this one, and LP for more or less letting me set this up on my own. It seemed fitting that the Citadel get some non-political respect, and it always bothered me that the focus when it comes to the Citadel is political, or is an odd UN equivalent where the institution has very little actual power, when that should not be the case for the Citadel here._

_Something that I can consider properly addressed now. Rough plot for the remaining pieces is going to be C-Sec, SPECTREs, and Citadel Station. Expect some interesting things in all of them. Thanks for reading!_


	6. Citadel Security and Emergency Services

_**LP's Note: **  
_

_This chapter is written by _**_Xabiar _**_with very minor assistance from the Editing Gang._

_There will likely be some of this used in the next TWCD chapter. _

* * *

**THE CITADEL COUNCIL**

**SECTION 5: CITADEL SECURITY**

* * *

**OVERVIEW**

The largest single-planet or installation law enforcement agency in the galaxy, Citadel Security, or more commonly known as C-Sec, is a hallmark of Citadel Station and outside of the SPECTREs, its most well-documented and known agency. Boasting a force of nearly half a million, its presence stretched from the shining Presidium to the furthest of the Wards.

The public perception of C-Sec is, for once, largely accurate. C-Sec is effectively the sole law enforcement agency on Citadel Station, and handles all criminal activity within. It has multiple divisions, each focusing on a specific mission or department, and while most of them relate to handling a certain kind of criminal activity, C-Sec does handle more than basic law enforcement.

C-Sec also handles a number of other non-law enforcement duties, including emergency medical responses, firefighting, chemical spills, and other emergencies which relate to public safety. They also manage Citadel customs and inventory, as well as have officers who are sent throughout Citadel space to serve as an independent unit if necessary.

C-Sec is generally well-respected, and has built a reputation as being professional, efficient, and friendly. If there is an organization which is not as touched by the long dark tendril of politics and intelligence agencies, C-Sec has remarkably remained focused on their job – or at least working within the confines of written law. Petty corruption still exists to some degree, but C-Sec isn't maintaining any blacksites, avoids egregious collection of citizen data, and at least attempts to maintain an essence of impartiality.

This has resulted in…issues throughout its existence. C-Sec culture has been remarkably resistant to traditional corruption, even before the turians joined. C-Sec has clashed with CINT, the SPECTREs, and the Shadow Broker in the pursuit of justice, and they do not forget when cases are blocked or ended because of political machinations.

This has of course resulted in retaliations (some of which will be detailed below), both of a lethal and non-lethal nature, but these are rarer than most would assume, because frankly, it is easier to just not interfere with C-Sec at all than fight them and subsequently…hardened many in C-Sec to authority, as they are distrustful of a civilian oversight that they view as compromised or corrupt.

This has faded to some extent in the aftermath of the Benezia Incident, and C-Sec under Executor Pallin is focusing less on Citadel infighting, and focusing on securing the station and bringing the Wards back under control – and likely preparing for another legal battle against us, thanks to CINT now making an effort to bring C-Sec into the fold as an ally – something which has never really happened before.

This will be covered shortly, but it is important to know what led to what is now Citadel Security in the first place.

* * *

**FOUNDATION AND HISTORY**

**PRELIMINARY SECURITY**: Prior to the formation of Citadel Security, Citadel Station was secured primarily by military forces, initially the asari military maintained law enforcement duties over the station, though this was prior to significant station development. The asari were in the planning stages of establishing a 'Citadel Defense Force' when contact was made with the Salarian Union.

Such plans were understandably put on hold as the asari and salarians negotiated and eventually formed the Citadel Council. One of the agreements reached was the sharing of security duties for Citadel Station, which would remain military in nature, and act as a joint force equivalent. This was dubbed the Citadel Council Defense Authority.

The overly convoluted name was likely because the Citadel Defense Force was a name taken for the planned Citadel military. In the beginning, the largest threat faced by the CCDA was simply establishing an organizational framework, and both salarian and asari working to understand each other, and overcome the inherent suspicion of each other.

Joint exercises were planned, best practices were exchanged, and the beginnings of the proto-C-Sec began forming. This would not coalesce until much later, but CCDA should be recognized for laying a strong foundation, even if it was primarily military-focused. It should be understood that this was prior to the Council deciding to expand civilian housing, as they wanted to fully explore the station before making the decision.

Thus, the CCDA was military-oriented as a result, and less focused on criminal activity, which was effectively non-existent in the early days of the Citadel. This eventually changed, and the CCDA was forced to reform or be rendered irrelevant.

**FOUNDATION OF C-SEC**: After the Council began permitting immigration, there arose the first vestiges of crime on Citadel Station. One would imagine that the Citadel was not an ideal place for crime to thrive in the beginning, but the exact opposite was true. The Council and CCDA only had coverage of only a minority of critical systems – the rest was free reign.

What would become the Wards was uncovered, unprotected, and was an obvious place of operations for rogue explorers, technology and weapon smugglers, and purveyors of illegal substances or information. Civil issues were also appearing, which CCDA was unprepared to handle. They could handle a violent shootout, but had far more difficulty rendering aid to suicidal individuals or providing help to people who overdosed on drugs.

Furthermore, the public was not comfortable with a heavily militarized law enforcement presence, and complained directly to the Council, with comparisons to a 'military state'. The CCDA was also struggling with detective work, and they were primarily equipped for defense and armed conflict, not the mundane actions of casework.

A change was necessary.

In one of the first major decisions overseen by the Council, the CCDA was formally abolished, and replaced with two new organizations – Citadel Emergency Services (CES), which would handle medical, chemical, industrial and mental health emergencies, and Citadel Security (C-Sec), which would handle criminal activity, investigations, and general law enforcement.

This reorientation was viewed positively by the public, and while there was a period of higher crime as C-Sec transitioned, this paid off once the new and improved C-Sec began working, and successfully captured several infamous thieves, arrested prominent gang members, and brought the successful case completion rate from an abysmal sixty-three percent to ninety-seven.

To limit the perception of C-Sec being militarized, the Council severely restricted the authorized use of force, effectively disarming the organization. Violent crime was minimal during this period, which was used to justify the change, despite pushback from the former CCDA officers. Nonetheless, this was approved, and succeeded in creating a positive impression of Citadel Security in the general public.

**EXPANSION OF C-SEC**: As more urbanization occurred, it became necessary for C-Sec to be expanded, as there simply weren't enough officers capable of effectively policing the station, working on cases, and handling prosecutions. This period of C-Sec was contentious for several reasons.

The first is that violent crime was rising, and gangs were arming themselves. As C-Sec was primarily disarmed, this obviously put them at a significant disadvantage in firefights. C-Sec was petitioning the Council for policy changes while rapidly expanding the number of armed officers to counter the rise in violent crime.

Budgetary concerns were also starting to rise, as these expansions were not cheap, and while the Council understood the necessity for security, they did not have an unlimited budget, and so money was taken from elsewhere – primarily the fledgling Citadel Emergency Services. There is debate on how many in C-Sec knew this was happening, some rumors say that C-Sec made the suggestion themselves, and others claim that C-Sec didn't know where the money was coming from, they just accepted it.

It is likely that the truth is a mixture of both. C-Sec as a whole likely didn't know or care where the money came from, but the ranking C-Sec officials almost certainly knew, and it is unknown if they pushed back or not. The consequence of this was twofold – most CES personnel resented C-Sec, seeing it as a money sink making their own work harder, and the cuts to CES led to degraded healthcare, staffing, and more citizens died of causes that could have been prevented.

It eventually reached a point where people in medical emergencies stopped calling CES, and began calling C-Sec, who were not equipped or trained properly, but if you were dying from a speeder crash, a C-Sec medic would likely be able to save your life and be quicker on the scene than a CES one.

This obviously did not help relations between the two groups, and while C-Sec did not originally intend to slowly supplement CES, that is what ended up happening – all the way until the rachni Wars.

**THE RACHNI WARS AND POLICY CHANGES**: This is not commonly known, but there was a time where C-Sec did not handle customs. There was, in fact, almost no custom security whatsoever. There were security teams, and civilian bodies that managed the imports, exports, and docks – and there _was_ a small customs team, but it was little more than theatre, and mostly served to check people in and out of Citadel Station.

When the Rachni Wars began, and refugees began arriving, this created mass confusion at first, and the Council and C-Sec had to scramble to make sure their movement was secure, and that there were places for them to stay at all. It was a barely-organized mess, that neither C-Sec nor CES would have handled properly, even if both had been fully funded.

It became much worse when the seeded refugees turned on the Citadel and began murdering civilians, C-Sec, and other refugees. On the brink of a full breakdown, Citadel Security Executor Mora Gidiuax, an asari from an almost unheard of clan, ordered martial law throughout Citadel Station – the first and only time it has _ever_ been imposed on the entirety of the station.

With a mandate from the Council to fix the problem, Gidiuax ordered a full review of every single refugee, and banned all new arrivals from the Citadel. She created a department solely devoted to handling customs, which is the same department that exists to this day. Compromised moles were hunted down and terminated on the spot, and individuals who had interacted with them were quarantined until it was determined that they were not compromised.

Gidiuax's C-Sec pioneered the methods used to determine rachni manipulation – methods which had since been adapted to this day in regards to tho'ian spores, and to a lesser extent, Reaper Indoctrination. Over a tumultuous six months, she brought Citadel Station back under control, and maintained the lockdown until the war was eventually won.

Following the war, she went before the Council with a list of policy changes she demanded be implemented to prevent another situation like this again. These included the full absorption of CES into C-Sec – all emergency services would be done through one entity now, expanded mandate for the use of force, a budget over a third larger than the existing one, and the permanent creation of several new departments including Citadel Customs.

These are only the changes she got through the Council, internally she made a number of major reforms, in some cases replacing the entire leadership groups, breaking up departments, creating newer ones, and prosecuting officers under suspicion of corruption. Gidiuax is historically believed to have been the most powerful and influential figure in C-Sec's history – for good and bad reasons.

The good include that she reformed C-Sec into a strong and effective law enforcement organization, effectively saved the CES by absorbing them and ensuring they received C-Sec funding, and prevented an already difficult crisis from spiraling out of control with minimal loss of life.

She is criticized for her more militaristic approach to law enforcement, and heavily relaxed the qualifications for use of force for armed officers, and was accused of being a dictator with her restrictions on refugees and indefinite martial law. Her move to absorb the CES was also criticized, as some believe it as a means of completely consolidating all public services under a single organization.

Gidiuax was also notably short-tempered, stubborn, and ruthless for an asari in the execution of her goals. All of these are _why_ she was such an effective Executor, and likely a big reason she was able to accomplish all she did. The consequence of this was that her decisions, and policies she put in place, would have later ramifications, even if many of the institutions she established remain in place to this day.

**THE WARD RIOTS**: The greatest insurrection that took place on the Citadel was several centuries after the Rachni Wars and Krogan Rebellions and the Turians were integrated, when there was an economic slump that was taking place and is widely credited to be because of delayed effects of the Krogan Rebellions. Immigration was minimal, infrastructure was poor and in need of repair, and crime was compounding in the poorest sections of the Wards, despite the efforts of C-Sec.

No one knows exactly for what reason the riots started, though most historians attribute it to protests which turned violent against austerity policies. Collateral damage against civilians by C-Sec was also likely a factor, as violent crime was more common, and often in civilian living spaces. It was not uncommon for civilians to perish in the line of fire, sometimes by accident, and sometimes the fault of the officer. Regardless, it did not engender goodwill towards the authorities, which further compounded frustrations with C-Sec who complained about local resistance to cooperation, and heavier measures were taken to elicit cooperation, from fines to detentions.

Executor Yara A'Lora, an asari Executor who had actually served under Gidiuax, and advised every Executor since her, was a less aggressive Executor compared to most, and despite serving under Gidiuax, believed that her policies were not conductive to long-term stability – something she believed had been showcased over the centuries. Despite this, she faced significant resistance internally from making changes of her own, as the ways of C-Sec were deeply entrenched at this point, despite some obvious shortcomings. She had claimed in a report to the Council that there was a high likelihood of 'sustainable unrest' if conditions did not improve on the ground.

The Council appeared to have taken them into consideration, though significantly underestimated the degree of which there was unrest. The volus advisors had correctly predicted that the slump would recover, stronger than ever, and the Council decided to listen to the volus, and continue the measures for a while longer.

Were it not from a mixture of activist groups, criminal gangs, and opportunistic businessmen from interfering, the riots would not have happened. But the intent to cause chaos, combined with a period of economic instability, was fuel that just needed a spark. That spark set nearly eight percent of the Wards throughout the Citadel aflame, catching the Council flat-footed.

It should be noted that calling them 'riots' is downplaying the extent of what was happening. This was a full insurrection. Government buildings were being stormed, banks were being robbed, stores were plundered, and fires spread throughout the Wards as a mob grew, the flames fanned by opportunistic groups who saw potential for their criminal ambitions to expand, or agendas to be pushed through.

Emergency meetings were called, and they are quite fascinating to review. The Council almost authorized using the CDF to enter and put down the insurrection (publicly they called it a 'riot'), but Executor A'Lora managed to talk down the Council _and_ the militarists under her, arguing that it would turn the public against them, and endanger more lives.

She proposed an alternate solution – one which the Council temporarily approved. They gave her thirty days to prove it was effective, and if it wasn't, they were sending in the military. A'Lora ordered that the 'insurrection zones' were to be quarantined, and armed officers stand guard. Blockades were established – no one got in or out unless they were verified residents of the zones.

A'Lora also ordered network access and utilities severed, plunging the areas into darkness. She got a bit clever, and fluctuated the regional temperatures into near-lethal freezing and hot levels throughout the duration of the siege. Her intent was to let the insurrection fade out. When the districts were burning, she didn't order intervention, instead having the officers hold the line.

Cut off from water, electricity, and with food likely to run out, the rioters quickly realized what was happening. The gangs who'd attached themselves also realized they were trapped. Rioters or gang members who wanted to escape had to surrender themselves to C-Sec – and some of them did. Others tried shooting their way out, and were put down.

After several weeks, when the fires were out, and the stores of food the rioters had were beginning to run out, they attempted to appeal to the Citadel directly. The Council was not merciful to them, and demanded nothing but a full and complete surrender. At this point, many of the groups splintered, some surrendering, others descended into shooting, and some attempted to hold out, and eventually starved to death or died of thirst.

Three months after the riots had started, A'Lora gave the green light to begin reclaiming some of the districts after no movement was reported. It was roughly five months before the Ward Riots were officially declared over, and it ended with Executor A'Lora with a significant amount of political capital, respect from the Council and her peers, and the Council appearing to be on the right side of the issue by not sending in the military.

It was a lesson the Council took to heart, and since then they've worked to maintain a strong local Citadel economy to prevent another Ward Riots – even if sometimes costs more than they'd like to spend. Executor A'Lora was also able to achieve some changes of her own following the Riots, namely placing more of an emphasis on emergency services, reducing the number of armed officers, and performing recruitment campaigns towards poorer citizens.

She is looked back upon as one of the best Executors of C-Sec, and has the highest approval rating in its history. She is credited with supposedly inspiring a generation of asari officers, and setting the tone of C-Sec for years to come, and a similar shakeup would not occur until centuries later, after the Second Refusal War.

**THE SECOND REFUSAL WAR AND AFTERMATH**: Citadel Security was not overly affected by a number of major events, primarily the First Refusal War, the Second Krogan Rebellions, and the Geth Rebellion, as these did not impact the Citadel directly, even if it made a major impact on the Citadel as a whole.

This changed during the end of the Second Refusal War when the Hanar effectively took control of the Citadel and assassinated the Council, the current Executor of C-Sec, and a number of other prominent individuals. This was to say nothing of the numerous C-Sec officers which were killed prior to this – and there were many who died as a consequence of the war.

It would be a stretch to say the C-Sec was 'shattered' because of this – it was a blow, but there were contingencies and lines of succession. C-Sec was able to be rebuilt with relative speed – but their pride and confidence was shaken, as it was throughout every Citadel institution. An interim C-Sec leadership cabinet began an autopsy which called for a full reevaluation of the institution, a call to modernize, specialize, and prepare for how best to mitigate similar attacks again.

C-Sec didn't just perform this review in the context of the Second Refusal War, but examining the past centuries of their crime-fighting, their previous budgets, and millions of statistics about arrest rates, cases, officer incidents, and more. They wanted to take this opportunity to fully modernize C-Sec, and judged there would not be a better time to do this.

These measures have led to the modern incarnation of C-Sec.

**THE MODERN REFORMATION**: The modern Citadel Security is, in many ways, fairly similar to previous incarnations. There are many more differences which are subtle than obvious, and that starts with the mandates. There had previously been some overlap between C-Sec and the CDF, as both have a mandate to protect the Citadel.

Negotiations eventually dictated that C-Sec had a mandate to protect Citadel Station from all _domestic_ threats to stability – which included organized crime, smugglers, agitators, anarchists, militias, and other home-grown threats to stability. The CDF's mandate would be to protect Citadel Station from _foreign_ and external threats of a military natures. Previously, this distinction had not been as clear, and to be safe C-Sec had participated in Station-wide defense exercises. This would now no longer be the mandate of C-Sec.

In the event of an attack on the Citadel, they would still act to defend, but would now have very specific actions, primarily defending critical systems or individuals. They would exist outside the Citadel Military chain of command. These plans proved to be effective, as the Benezia Incident tested this very scenario, and even if C-Sec was unable to hold certain points, there was no major disruption in respective chains of command, or areas taken without a fight. It is likely C-Sec is further refining their contingencies now they have actual experience.

There were a number of specialized departments that were added, which in effect were broken off from existing departments which had been performing those roles. Cyber Crimes and Evidence Storage received dedicated departments, and armed officers were broken off into a specialized Lethal Response division, as there was a universal agreement that mass-arming officers was not the way to go.

The final stage of modernization was expanding the jurisdiction of C-Sec _beyond_ Citadel Station itself. Yes, this was _not_ actually a thing prior to the modernization. Most people believe that C-Sec has jurisdiction throughout Citadel space. They didn't. This was largely for practical reasons, as there was very little crime which took place in Citadel territory that _wasn't_ Citadel Station, and the Council feared that it would lead to intra-Citadel tensions if C-Sec was permitted to perform arrests on the worlds controlled by other species.

What happened was this – C-Sec received complete jurisdiction for all pieces of Citadel-controlled territory. This includes Citadel Station and places the Citadel directly controls or has secured – Prothean dig sites usually fall under this. They would also have legal jurisdiction over captured territory in the event of a conflict, so if Omega were to theoretically fall to the Citadel, C-Sec would have immediate jurisdiction over it.

They would also be able to pursue persons of interest who are connected to ongoing cases anywhere, though it requires informing the government in control of the planet of the situation. While this technically is not blanket immunity and jurisdiction, C-Sec has legal authority to pursue criminals beyond Citadel Station – something they previously could not do before.

This resulted in the creation of the small, but focused C-Sec Naval Forces, and departments that solely handle extra-station affairs. Other smaller measures were codified, such as a calculated minimal and optimal force size, investment in officer education, and continued efforts to maintain technological superiority.

Some of the division hierarchies were also fleshed out, and the leadership of C-Sec more democratized, limiting the absolute power of the Executor for the first time since A'Lora, and placing more emphasis on cooperation between the Executor and the Department Commanders. The Executor is still the leader, but they do not have the complete control they once did – though in the hands of a capable Executor, this limitation is not necessarily as powerful as intended.

While it is debatable if the current incarnation of Citadel Security is the _best_, and will not objectively be possible to determine for several decades yet, there is no doubt that it is the most modern – and indisputably one of the most effective thus far.

* * *

**STRUCTURE**

**EMERGENCY ROUTING**: The base foundation of all of Citadel Security is Emergency Routing Services. This department is simply responsible for the emergency hotline, networks, and extranet sites that allow people to call C-Sec and report an emergency. Emergency Routing is one of the heaviest-staffed departments, and has multiple specialized sections for specific emergencies, who will relay it to the respective department.

There are specific numbers that can be dialed for specific departments, but most people only have the basic number memorized, and in addition to active support, they also maintain emergency stations, fire alarms, and other direct contact pieces of technology which automatically send a response team.

It is the fundamental pillar of C-Sec, and without it they could not effectively function. The division is managed by the Head of Emergency Routing.

**EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES**: A self-explanatory department, Emergency Medical Services is one of the most essential civilian services, who are charged with being the first responders to scenes of emergencies from crashes, to fires, to gunfights; no matter where there is an emergency that needs medical attention EMS is there to support.

They have a number of additional authorities that can be invoked, including prioritized air traffic, additional speed allowances, and exceptions that allow them to skirt existing safety laws to reach emergency sites quicker. The primary mode of transportation is the EMS aircraft, each of which are minor medical suites that allow almost anyone to survive an injury, provided they are quickly treated.

EMS also has exceptionally strong legal protections. Accosting, attacking, or preventing EMS personnel from performing their jobs will result in greater penalties than normal, and will almost always land people in prison who are stupid enough to do it, and EMS in particular are ruthless in ruining the lives of those who try and interfere with them.

Interestingly, EMS also has different attire depending on the situation they are going into. In most instances they wear their usual medical attire, but if they are being called to a more dangerous part of the Wards, or to support a C-Sec shootout, they have lightly-armored scrubs which provide greater protection in a live-fire situation than standard attire.

EMS personnel are not armed, though do have the authority to request protection. This is usually not done except in extraordinary circumstances, and EMS is generally left alone, even by gangs and mercenary outfits who view them as a neutral party – and one that if they touch, their lives are likely to get much worse.

They are managed by the Chief Medic of the Emergency Medical Services.

**FIRE AND CHEMICAL RESPONSE**: The firefighters of many works, which is normally a separate department, has been absorbed into the C-Sec bubble and is managed by them. Their mandate has also expanded to handle chemical spills and other toxic emergencies. Usually deployed in conjunction with EMS, Fire and Chemical Response is regarded as some of the best firefighters and emergency teams in the galaxy, and have in some cases been deployed to other worlds for particularly bad cases.

As a result, FCR has experience in nearly every single fire emergency, and will often either draw its recruits from specialized firefighting teams, or send embed to other worlds to gain practical experience. This makes the FCR useful beyond the Citadel, and more than capable of managing emergencies on the station itself.

It is believed that this is to continually maintain their high budget by being able to provide support to Citadel races, but it might simply be that FCR wishes to be the elite of their industry, and that is a mission they are succeeding in.

They are managed by the Fireteam Commander.

**DRUG RESPONSE**: A specialized sub-department of EMS, Drug Response has two distinct components. The first is providing specialized medical care to individuals who have overdosed and require immediate assistance. This will be followed up by examinations to determine addiction levels, damage inflicted, and other drug-related consequences. They usually have experience with all drugs in use on the Citadel, as well as the methods to intervene in cases of medical emergency.

They do not have legal authority to perform arrests, but they do have authority to call officers in the event that they believe the individual should be detained. This is not done automatically because not all drugs are illegal on the Citadel, and until illegal drugs are detected, there is no legal reason to involve C-Sec officers.

There has been some controversy in Drug Response with medics not calling officers for arrest even if illegal drugs were found in the system, which has led to accusations of fabrications or intentionally letting criminals free. Subsequent Internal Affairs investigations did reveal that, while there are multiple cases of illegal drug use that were underreported, there is no evidence to suggest that crime levels were significantly affected. Most medics involved received a verbal reprimand, and it is likely that this is still going on to some extent.

The second component of Drug Response has to do with actual drug trafficking, selling, and recovery. When there are drugs on a crime scene, these detectives will be involved. They are capable of identifying and safely handling all kinds of drugs, as well as advising officers who perform questioning on suspects, as they know what questions to ask.

The second component can be considered a sub-division of standard detectives, and they will often be involved in cases involving drug trafficking. Despite both components handling wildly different tasks, and often disagreements on how to handle or treat drugs and usage, both components typically work together fine when cooperation is required, though the second component tends to have a slightly negative perception of the first component.

They are led by the Drug Response Director.

**STATION PATROL**: The most ubiquitous and known role on Citadel Station is the C-Sec Officer. These are men and women in simple and standardized uniforms who come to handle common requests, collect statements, and conduct investigations and interviews. They patrol Citadel Station in groups of two or three, and guard important landmarks, buildings, or infrastructure both private and public.

Officers are not armed, though they do carry stun batons in the event of an altercation. It is very rare that they will encounter a violent individual, and the overwhelming majority of the time, their interactions end without incident. At one point the idea was for having completely disarmed officers, but this was rejected due to the small number of incidents where officers were assaulted with knives or blunt instruments, and fully disarmed officers was deemed infeasible.

However, even this use of force is strictly regulated, and officers are only supposed to draw their baton if they are or nearby bystanders are in physical danger. Universal armor cameras are primarily utilized to ascertain justification. However, the public overall trusts C-Sec officers, and usually only encounter resistance against groups historically averse to authority and law enforcement.

They are led by the Commander of Station Patrol.

**CRISIS RESPONSE**: The blanked category this division covers is intentionally broad. There is no single thing that Crisis Response handles – when there is a situation that needs a delicate touch, and violence is not an optimal solution, they are called. The good chunk of their work is handling hostage situations or negotiations with armed criminals. That is what they are most known for, and many a police drama has centered around the work of Crisis Response.

What they are _not_ as well known for, and what most of their job consists of, is handling suicidal callers and people on bridges, it's defusing tense situations at bars, it's talking down mentally handicapped people without resorting to stunning them. The teams of Crisis Response are very, very good at what they do, and the body of work they do is more extensive than the general public is aware.

Crisis Response works to hire career negotiators, diplomats, psychologists, mental health professionals, and sociologists. All of them also have to be trained to some degree in most of these, even if there are operatives who specialize in certain situations. They are some of the best-paid officers in C-Sec, and most specialized. Due to the limited number of qualified individuals, C-Sec works very hard to ensure they are retained.

The division is managed by the Crisis Response Commander.

**LETHAL RESPONSE**: The last resort of C-Sec, when diplomacy has failed, and there is a high chance of bodily harm to officers or civilians, Lethal Response is deployed. While most officers are not armed, and their uniforms contain limited body armor, Lethal Response is equivalent to a special operations unit of C-Sec.

Equipped with the best arms and armor that credits can buy, Lethal Response is a team of elite marksmen who are nine times out of ten more powerful than the hapless goons they are sent to deal with. The majority of them are snipers, who usually terminate the identified gunmen before they realize what is happening.

They have strict rules of engagement, and will go out of their way to limit collateral damage. They will usually intentionally draw fire to themselves, as their barriers and armor are capable of absorbing hits. They don't use higher-yield weapons like rockets or grenades, though they will use controlled explosives for breaching purposes.

Lethal Response have their own training programs, though very often they will embed with special forces of other species or the Citadel itself for a period of time to gain practical experience. While the doctrine does not inherently overlap, Lethal Response takes pains to emphasize their role as focused elimination, not prolonged firefights.

It is for this reason that they are not patrol officers and must specifically be called upon. They do not provoke these attacks, but they will swiftly end them.

They are led by the Lethal Response Commander.

**CITADEL CUSTOMS**: The days where a freighter could land on the Citadel, cross off a brief checklist with a dock worker, unload their cargo, and leave are well and truly over. As established after the Rachni Wars, Citadel Customs is the sole authority who can decide who can enter and leave the Citadel.

Every port is secured by them, every entryway is covered. Very, very people understand just how difficult it is to _smuggle_ things into the Citadel due to how Citadel Customs has locked it down. Most equipment which is used for illicit purposes is brought completely legally, with all the correct paperwork and forms filled.

This is not to say that traditional smuggling _into _the Citadel does not happen, but it is far rarer than people believe, and any smuggling must be done intelligently. Smuggling _out_ of the Citadel is a far different story. As the Citadel is much less concerned about what you leave with, then what you could potentially bring.

Citadel Customs are very aggressive in sniffing out anything that seems suspicious that you bring in, but they won't apply that same intensity to you leaving unless you are very, very obvious about it. As far as they are concerned, any potential material is now away from the Citadel, and it's someone else's problem.

Everyone who enters the Citadel is marked and identified, and Customs _will_ turn people away if you can't prove your identity. They don't bother with requiring people to take off their clothes or metal items, as their scanners are powerful enough to determine the specific implant you have, or how much of you is cybernetically converted.

Customs is not exactly a fast process, but they do work to move people through in an efficient manner. They are thorough in a way where even if something slips past one group, it will almost certainly be captured by another. There are three levels of checkpoints before entering Citadel Station proper, and each one is effectively identical.

People have complained about the forced redundancy, but C-Sec (and the Council) have ignored the complaints, and point to the effective zero-percent smuggling import rate as proof that the systems are working. In contrast, leaving the Citadel is a single checkpoint.

They are led by the Head of Citadel Customs.

**THE NAVAL FORCES**: Small as it is, Citadel Security _does_ have a navy.

It is not an impressive navy, but it is not truly intending to be.

It is largely composed of small transport craft, usually to transport small teams of officers across Citadel space. There is a distinct focus on durability and protection over offensive capabilities. C-Sec naval craft are very difficult to shoot down, and even then there are internal redundancies that increase survivability.

There are small gunboats that C-Sec employed for interdiction purposes, but those are useless for any serious naval craft; even the weakest Quarian frigate could easily defeat a C-Sec gunboat. The Naval Forces are not intended to be a military force, but largely for transportation and to prevent ninety-eight percent of criminals from achieving any kind of naval superiority.

And in the event that C-Sec needs naval reinforcements? It's likely that this is a matter that concerns the Citadel itself, and there are no shortage of ships that will stand by, ready to assist.

They are led by the Captain of the C-Sec Naval Forces.

**DETECTIVE CORPS**: If the Station Patrol Officers are the individual that the average person is likely to encounter from C-Sec, the Detective Corps are the second-most likely. One of the largest departments in C-Sec, the Detective Corps performs the majority of the legwork in investigative cases.

Using a combination of technology and personal investigation, the C-Sec Detective is capable of solving complex mysteries, testifying before courts, and constructing plausible narratives to close cases. The Detective Corps is unique throughout C-Sec in that it is the department which leverages the specialties of other departments.

Some people are under the impression that Detectives do all of the investigative work in C-Sec. This is not true, many times their job isn't performing the work, but simply acquiring all of the pieces, and completing the picture. That is their job, and they take this information and present it to their superiors to determine in what direction the case goes, or doesn't go if they are inconclusive.

The reason that the Detective Corps is segmented in this way, and activities they usually had sole control over have been moved to separate divisions is largely to do with corruption concerns. Under previous C-Sec hierarchies, if one could corrupt a detective, they would have a fairly good chance of controlling the case since much of the direction was under their sole control. By forcing the Detective to work with other departments, it makes it much more difficult to falsify or ignore evidence, as there is a clear digital trail to follow in the event of an internal investigation.

They are a group that prides themselves on integrity and a high number of successful cases. Cold cases exist, and there is no case which is ever fully 'dropped'. Every so often, teams of Detectives break out cold cases and more often than not, are able to solve them when there is a new team looking over it. With few exceptions, no case goes unsolved in C-Sec. It may not be solved today, but the future is another story.

They are led by the Chief of the Detective Corps.

**EVIDENCE STORAGE AND REVIEW**: All evidence collected by C-Sec is first moved into some of the most secure parts of any C-Sec precinct. Biometrically and physically locked only to authorized personnel, with guards standing in front of it at all times, the Evidence Storage and Review division manages every single piece of collected evidence and oversees the lockers they are kept in.

The lockers are further divided into evidence types, containing lockers, freezers, fridges, and in some of the highest-secured C-Sec Evidence Lockers, reused stasis fields from Citadel Station. These lockers are only for storage; the division also manages the labs where the evidence is reviewed.

While they usually do not _perform_ the reviews, typically leaving that to relevant departments, they maintain the equipment, facilities, and control access to who can use them. They also are responsible for transporting the evidence themselves. They have a strict mandate over evidence protection, and attempting to interfere with the movement, acquisition, or review of evidence is considered a major crime.

Naturally, when evidence has served its purpose in a case, it is either destroyed if it is safe to do so, or permanently stored in the C-Sec Evidence Vault. Evidence is only destroyed after cases are completed, and there is a verified digital backup. C-Sec does not have the space to store every single piece of evidence acquired, and by necessity had to develop a system to account for this limitation.

They are overseen by the Head of Evidence Collection.

**CYBER CRIMES DIVISION**: One of the newest divisions is one which is also the most technologically sophisticated. The Cyber Crimes Division has a number of applications, though as the name implies, handles cyber crimes. These most commonly involve going after malicious hackers, isolating and tracking rogue VIs or AIs, taking down child pornography sites, and stopping credit siphons.

In contrast to public belief, the CCD does _not_ handle harassment or actions which fall under the cyberbullying category, though they will perform profile checks and evidence collection to be used as supporting evidence in cases should they be required. Their additional roles include handling digital evidence collected, and properly containing and classifying it.

Given a rise in VIs being used to facilitate criminal activities, CCD has been taking on a more prominent role and is quickly becoming one of the most important parts of C-Sec. The yearly budgets have noted a steady increase in funding allocated to the CCD, and this trend is likely to continue to increase as time goes by.

They are led by the Captain of the Cyber Crimes Division.

**FINANCIAL CRIMES DIVISION**: Financial fraud is one of the most common crimes on the Citadel, especially given the concentration of business interests and higher median wealth, and as a result, C-Sec needed to create a dedicated division for handling nothing but financial crimes. There was internal debate on merging the responsibilities of Financial Crimes with Cyber Crimes, but was ultimately rejected due to conflicting focuses, though both divisions collaborate often.

Financial Crimes is notable for containing the highest concentration of volus officers – something which is not surprising in the least, but still notable when considering the overall demographics of C-Sec. This influx of volus financial experts, in addition to aggressive hiring of economists, statisticians, and mathematicians has made Financial Crimes second only to the Vol Protectorate itself in terms of skill against preventing and solving financial criminal activity.

The greatest restriction on the division is the size. Financial Crimes has been attempting to receive a boost to manpower, as they have historically been understaffed as the volus experts eat up a large chunk of their operating budget. This has forced them to prioritize their cases, which leads to all but the major financial crimes handed off to less-skilled divisions, or put aside until there is an opening.

This has led to the idea that C-Sec is bad at stopping financial crime. They aren't, they just don't have the manpower to handle the sheer amount each day. This shortfall is likely to be addressed in part in the budget for the next year, though in light of the Benezia Incident, it remains to be seen how much the budget is restructured to account for shifting priorities.

**COVERT OPERATIONS**: Every law enforcement agency has a covert operations team, and Citadel Security is no exception. It has been the source of some controversy, as there are those who do not believe that law enforcement should have such an operational arm. This has been soundly ignored by even the most reform-minded of C-Sec, who see it as an essential component of law enforcement.

Covert Operations has a strict mandate and operational objective – to locate, infiltrate, and dismantle major and minor organized crime. Of course, the restriction is only in who can be targeted – Covert Operatives cannot infiltrate any groups that are affiliated with an official Citadel species government, and are supposed to immediately refer the case to the Executor personally.

But within the mandate, the Operative has wide-ranging authority. They can be short-term or long-term operatives. They can perform extensive criminal actions to maintain their cover, and are authorized to perform assassination missions if arrest is not a viable or safe option. Their restricted mandate against organized crime has deflected scrutiny on this arm of C-Sec, and with allies in Citadel Intelligence, it is unlikely this will change in the future.

Covert Operatives are primarily drawn from former intelligence agencies, though they will occasionally recruit in-house, and utilize Citadel Intelligence for training – of which is happily provided. It is unknown how many Covert Operatives there are. The number is believed to be between eight hundred and one thousand, and they are allowed to operate beyond Citadel station.

They are led by the Director of Covert Operations.

**INTERNAL AFFAIRS**: The formation of Internal Affairs was one which was externally controversial, and in fact did not formally exist until Executor A'Lora, who formed it as one of her reforms. Previously, any internal investigation was performed by regular officers, overseen by the Executor. This conflict of interest was eliminated with the formation of Internal Affairs, in which no individual or division is allowed to oversee or interfere in ongoing operations.

The controversy has come from the fact that Internal Affairs is distinctly a part of C-Sec, and does not even make overtures to independence. Even A'Lora flatly refused to allow any independent body oversight in C-Sec, believing those kinds of bodies existed only to create controversy and were incapable of impartiality, and had little understanding of the job law enforcement did.

Since then, there have been activist groups who've tried to, if not transition oversight to a completely civilian body, create spaces for independent individuals to sit on the board or oversee ongoing operations. This has been rejected each time with little debate, and even the Council usually dismisses the requests, citing that C-Sec has historically upheld public trust, and are capable of policing their own.

And that is ultimately what it comes down to. C-Sec has had its share of scandals, but they haven't ever been enough to tarnish the reputation of the institution completely, and in such cases the ones responsible were punished. Internal Affairs continues this work, and they have managed to uproot multiple corrupt officers, even if they have not brought down major C-Sec officials.

Some point to this statistic as proof that Internal Affairs is compromised, when the more likely scenario is that Citadel Security is not as corrupt as some people want to believe. Internal Affairs is far from the most effective or powerful investigative arm of its kind, but it works well enough, and neither C-Sec nor the Council seem willing to change it.

They are overseen by the Director of Internal Affairs.

**SPECIAL RESPONSE AND INVESTIGATIONS**: The newest department which was established by the current Executor Venari Pallin, Special Response and Investigation is a fancy way of simply saying C-Sec officers which operate beyond Citadel Station. Any C-Sec officer or agent who is outside Citadel Station is technically an external agent.

Personnel dubbed as "External Agents" are usually only deployed in specific circumstances, usually concerning new archeological sites, pursuing leads in ongoing cases that extend beyond Citadel Station, or upon the request of a Citadel government. Given the more sensitive nature of the work they do, External Agents are _not_ randomly drawn from the existing officer pool, nor can any officer become an External Agent.

The role of an External Agent is not just their role of officer or detective, they are also trained in diplomacy, alien cultures, and must be able to work with exterior law enforcement organizations and alien governments without causing incidents. They must not only be cognizant of Citadel law, but the law of the world they are on.

In cases where they are specifically requested to help on cases, this is even more important, as making a bad impression could have political consequences for C-Sec. It is for this reason that External Agents are almost always veterans with ten or more years on the force. C-Sec will also traditionally send same-race Agents based on the dominant race on the world. As an example, an asari External Agent would be deployed if Thessia wanted assistance, a salarian if the SIX requested help, and so on.

It is viewed as one of the most prestigious positions in C-Sec, and an investment that one has to earn from the Executor themself.

They are led by the Director of Special Response and Investigations.

**OFFICE OF THE EXECUTOR**: At the top of C-Sec is the Office of the Executor. The Executor of C-Sec is the public face of the organization, and is responsible for driving the priorities, culture, and morale of the force. While their power has been reduced from historical levels, they are nonetheless still the most important figure in C-Sec, and have the power to shape the direction they wish to pursue – if they are clever enough.

An Executor manages the Security Cabinet of Citadel Security, which is composed of Commanders, Captains, and Heads of departments and divisions throughout C-Sec. If there is a vacancy, they can appoint a replacement with at least a third of the existing Cabinet in support. The Executor cannot make unilateral appointments, and each must meet certain qualifications, but it does not take a significant amount of effort to make intended appointments.

When it comes to policy changes that affect the entirety of the force, a supermajority of the Cabinet is required for passage, and it is close to impossible for the Executor to force complete changes on a specific department without additional justification. The Executor similarly cannot remove or open an investigation into a cabinet member without sufficient justification or a supermajority.

Beyond the Cabinet, the Executor also personally meets with the Citadel Council, the Subcommittees, Citadel Military, and Citadel Intelligence on regular basis. They often work to facilitate stronger relations and inter-department cohesion, or provide security updates to relevant authorities. It is a job only for the tireless, and committed.

An Executor is chosen in three ways – the first is appointment directly from the Citadel Council, which is almost never done. The second is through direct appointment, where an Executor appoints a successor with a supermajority – this is the most common method of choosing an Executor. The third is when the Security Cabinet rejects the suggested replacement, and proposes their own. This is not inherently malicious, there are Executors who will forego direct appointment and leave the decision to the Cabinet.

An Executor can also only be removed in two ways – through a unanimous Council decision, or with a supermajority of the Security Cabinet voting for their dismissal. This has only taken place three times in the entirety of C-Sec history.

* * *

**INTRA-CITADEL RELATIONSHIPS**

It would be remiss to not briefly cover the relationships Citadel Security has to other influential parties on the Citadel, ones which are purportedly aligned with them, as well as some which are not. They are listed below.

**CITADEL ARMED FORCES**: Citadel Security largely doesn't interact to a substantial degree with the Citadel Armed Forces. Both maintain separate objectives and command structures, and do not interfere with each other's work. There is a mutual respect between the two entities, and C-Sec does managing military policing, and it is not conducted by the Citadel Armed Forces themselves.

Given that a not-insignificant number of C-Sec personnel are former military, they have a more thorough understanding of each other, and it is not uncommon for C-Sec Officers and Biotics to participate in trainings and joint Citadel Defense exercises – which have become a regular affair since the Benezia Incident.

**SPECIAL TACTICS AND RECONNAISSANCE**: To say that the SPECTREs and Citadel Security have a contentious relationship is putting it very, very mildly. Citadel Security was opposed to the entire concept of the SPECTREs from the beginning, but was eventually overruled by the Council and supportive voices in the Armed Forces.

Due to how SPECTREs operate, it renders any investigation that may involve a SPECTRE classified, and certain evidence is usually restricted. SPECTREs being outside of the law permit them to cooperate with C-Sec as much as they wish – and sometimes that leads to no cooperation at all. Most SPECTREs will give the appearance of cooperation, but ultimately most cases involving SPECTREs or SPECTRE operations are dropped or fail due to a lack of evidence.

On this own, this would be problematic enough, what makes most of C-Sec hate SPECTREs is because they can _actively_ interfere in ongoing criminal investigations. Crucial witnesses, arrested criminals, any one of those can be immediately freed by SPECTREs with no reason given. This is usually because these individuals are SPECTRE informants or sources, and they are acting to protect their networks.

The number of disparate SPECTRE networks often overlaps with C-Sec investigations, and since both parties never talk to each other, resentment builds. The SPECTREs cover up their actions for the most part, and gag orders prevent widespread dissemination. SPECTREs friendly to the Network have performed these actions at times, interfering in ongoing investigations or freeing informants of our own.

This has led to two inevitable developments. The first is that C-Sec has in recent years utterly refused to cooperate with the SPECTREs willingly. They need to be directly ordered to do so, and they will usually go out of their way to make the process as drawn-out and difficult as possible – within all legal means. While a few SPECTREs have tried forming a more positive relationship with C-Sec, most have found it easier to bypass them altogether and rely on their own networks.

The second is that there are small groups of rogue officers who arrange for 'accidents' to happen to individuals they believe will cause SPECTRE interference, or have a chance of being freed. This is not condoned by the vast majority of C-Sec, and none of the leadership, and to our knowledge, this has only been carried out several dozen times, but this small underground group grows a few members at a time with each SPECTRE who interferes in an investigation.

While we could utilize this information, it is not sufficient for blackmail as we know that C-Sec _will_ take action against this group and no prominent individuals are involved. This does, however present opportunities for additional moles in C-Sec, though it is unlikely they will be able to be of significant use until they advance further in the ranks.

**CITADEL INTELLIGENCE**: Both Citadel Security and Citadel Intelligence have had a mixed and uneasy relationship. While C-Sec does not see them as wantonly illegal as the SPECTREs, most dislike the extreme amount of influence and authority they wield on the Citadel, and usually cooperate, though begrudgingly.

This has begun to change as of the appointment of Director Fidel, who has made a notable number of overtures to C-Sec, wanting to start information sharing agreements, cooperate on cases, and ease the tensions between the two bodies. He's made a number of incentives – chief of which is direct action against the Broker Network, and second is concerted efforts to limit SPECTRE interference in ongoing investigations.

Reportedly, this is possible thanks to the Benezia Incident, and Saren abusing his authority as a SPECTRE (the consequences of this event will be detailed in SECTION 6), and has quietly backed proposed amendments which add qualifiers to SPECTRE immunity – something which appears to have won the Executor over.

Citadel Intelligence and C-Sec are cooperating more openly in recent months, and while it will not reach the level of a full data sharing agreement, tensions are thawing to the point where it is unlikely Citadel Intelligence will be viewed with the suspicion it once was within five years. Notably, this was done without Citadel Intelligence themselves giving up influence, or even signaling their willingness to. Leveraging the standing hatred of the SPECTREs and Broker Network was sufficient, and a move that appears to have paid off, and if successful, will cement Citadel Intelligence as the most influential group on Citadel Station.

**THE CITADEL COUNCIL**: While this may come as a surprise, the Citadel Council and Citadel Security largely have a positive view of each other. Despite their creation of groups like the SPECTREs, and management of controversial Subcommittees, the Citadel Council has always maintained a cordial and cooperative relationship with Citadel Security.

Unlike the SPECTREs, the Council does not go out of their way to obstruct and antagonize them, which has gone a long way towards preventing the relationship from fully deteriorating, and they are the unofficial mediator between C-Sec and SPECTREs, even if their hands are usually tied on what they can allow.

For the most part, the Council has not imposed legislation or restrictions which have negatively impacted C-Sec, something which the leadership pays attention to, and has shown a willingness to include officers in relevant discussions. For the most part, C-Sec is viewed as one of the more 'neutral' parties on the Citadel in the eyes of the public and government – at least in regards to the structure.

This does not necessarily translate to trust in the leadership – the current Councilors they are divided on, Tevos and Udina they do not view fondly due to their connections to the Thirty and High Lords respectively. Valern they are undecided on, though his connection to Fidel makes him viewed as more of an ally. Sparatus is largely viewed as reliable, and Thin'Koris is too new for them to have developed a solid view of.

There is less overt corruption in the Council than one might expect, and C-Sec is one reason for this. The corruption surrounding the Council has less to do with what they _do_ on the Citadel, and more to do with their background and connections. C-Sec has a limited mandate (restricted to Citadel Station and actions relating to the Citadel), and the major players know better than to be overtly corrupt – which means they either refrain from such actions, or are very, very skilled at obfuscating them.

And a good way of doing that is making sure they have, if not a good relationship with C-Sec, a cordial one.

**THE SHADOW BROKER**: While the Broker Network has not acquired the sheer hate the SPECTREs have in the eyes of Citadel Security, it is the clear second. In some way, shape, or form, C-Sec has been trying to take down the Broker Network since its inception, which is technically in violation of hundreds of Citadel laws.

And each and every time there has been a concerted effort against us, it has been thwarted for one reason or another. Blackmail, assassination, and interference have been employed with no easy response. The only reason that C-Sec does not hate us more is because this conflict is greater in principle to them, then actually relevant in the field usually.

Very rarely does the Broker Network interfere, or have connection to, ninety percent of the cases C-Sec pursues. They do not usually encounter our agents, recover our material, or otherwise necessarily _look_ for us. As the Broker Network is extra-planetary, that further limits the impact the Network has on Citadel Security.

Admittedly, the times where it _has_ become relevant have been major cases. Informants we worked to ensure could move, expanding our capital to end investigations through Citadel assets, to say the Broker Network has had an overall limited impact on C-Sec is accurate. To say that it has had a _major_ impact on C-Sec in certain cases is also accurate.

While nothing was ever proven, most of C-Sec leadership believe that the Shadow Broker was behind every failed attempt to investigate and prosecute the Network, and as a result they have appeared to accept the Network as an existing evil for fear of directed interference. This has, of course, changed with the appointment of Citadel Intelligence Director Fidel.

What it _has_ done is deeply shaped their policy regarding internal corruption. The reason we have difficulty penetrating the institution directly is because C-Sec runs ongoing indoctrination programs that are specifically designed to counter and quash any Broker sympathies or scenarios. C-Sec loves their internal investigations, and the reason for this is because they are hyper-sensitive to the idea of Broker tampering with cases.

People who turn over Broker informants, or people willing to use the Broker Network, are heavily rewarded, and as a result everyone is on the lookout for anyone who might be suspicious. Not every lead turns out true, but C-Sec would much prefer overreporting, then none at all. As a result, it has made penetration of C-Sec historically difficult, and we expect this trend to continue as the relationship between Citadel Security and Citadel Intelligence deepens.

* * *

**MAJOR ORGANIZED CRIME AND CRIMINAL FIGURE RELATIONSHIPS**

To characterize the following as 'relationships' in the same vein as the above section is obviously questionable, though it is the closest wording which depicts how Citadel Security views these specific organizations. It is not all the same, and in some cases there actually _is_ a working relationship with some of the more complex organizations.

**THE BLUE SUNS**: If there is a group which could be considered on 'good terms' with C-Sec (which is a highly loaded and situational classification), it would be the Blue Suns. The leadership of the Suns is smart enough to actively avoid actual criminal activities on Citadel Station, and primarily operates their private security wing on the station.

Ironically, the Blue Suns have actively collaborated with C-Sec at times, usually relating to investigations or incidents to Blue Sun clients who hire them for private security. The Blue Suns also pass along information on criminal activity to C-Sec to keep the relationship positive (always on major gangs operating on the Citadel).

Both C-Sec and Blue Suns know why the other is doing this, but there is a mutual understanding between the two that can overlook the broader implications. So long as the Blue Suns don't actively incriminate themselves, they won't make enemies of C-Sec, and they are the only 'criminal organization' which has free and unmolested passage to and from the Citadel.

From what we have discovered, the Blue Suns haven't exploited this, because they've determined that if they make C-Sec angry, they'll almost certainly lose their position of dominance on the Citadel. While they can't perform overt criminal activities, they can make sure no one else is either – and corner the private security market, which C-Sec has no interest in interfering with.

A suitable win-win for all involved parties. Time will tell if it continues to last.

**CERBERUS/THE HAND OF HADES**: While both of these groups are obviously not the same, their role as human supremacist organizations, as well as Hades being a hardline splinter group of disaffected Cerberus personnel, it is worth covering both of them, as the actions of one have deliberately led to actions of another.

Since Jack Harper assumed control of Cerberus, identified Cerberus operations have either been canceled, failed, or withdrawn. Cerberus has seemingly lost interest in, or is unable to, maintain operations on Citadel Station. We suspect it is more the latter, as Harper is likely to focus on consolidating his loyalists and refocusing the remaining Cerberus infrastructure. Whatever Harper's long-term plans are, they do not immediately involve operations on Citadel Station. He may have some deep cover operatives, but those are almost certainly passive observers.

Even prior to this, Cerberus was not strictly _infamous_ among C-Sec. It was known, and they had run some operations, but they never became a major factor, though are reviled by the majority non-human C-Sec due to their supremacist views.

The Hand of Hades, in contrast, has made a name for themselves in a way that Cerberus never did. The small vacuum that Cerberus left has been completely filled and expanded by Hades in much clearer and more overt ways. Hades has primarily acted as the funding arm of a number of small human supremacist groups who put out hits on alien citizens.

What is also notable is that Hades has _also_ covertly funded other racial supremacist groups on the Citadel – typically krogan and turian, who perform similar actions. The goal of this appears to be causing chaos, and distraction from what C-Sec has determined is the _real_ purpose of the Hades presence on the Citadel.

Namely, organ trafficking and clonelegging. In contrast to certain _other_ detected Hades ventures, the operation on the Citadel is remarkably sophisticated, and we suspect that Richard Williams himself had a hand in its creation. The Hades personnel themselves are notoriously elusive, operations through fronts, human and alien proxies, and half the time the typical cloneleggers don't even _know_ they're working for Hades, as it contrasts so much with their modus operandi of overt terrorism and general incompetence.

C-Sec finds Hades frustrating to deal with, because it's like consistently playing a human game of whack-a-mole – for every clonelegger or organ harvester they catch, for every front they shut down, another one just pops up a few weeks later – and no _actual_ Hades personnel are captured. There was the one time Hades _did_ try an operation and break into the Cube of all places.

This obviously failed spectacularly, and C-Sec was less concerned, and more baffled, as it seemed like it had come from another organization entirely. The working theory they have is that Hades only approved that operation to continue the illusion that they're a bunch of incompetent idiots – as all of the personnel involved were low-ranking and ultimately dispensable.

The Executor is preparing to request Citadel Intelligence assistance if this continues, and further looking into this reveals two things – the first is that the Citadel operations are likely a major part of Hades' funding operation. The second is that Hades may be more sophisticated than we believed. Despite their repeated, public, incompetence and failure, the revelation of the Citadel raises the uncomfortable possibility that these operations are fronts for more professional, organized operations that are successfully being obfuscated.

This information may be useful to the Alliance – or certain SPECTREs if they wish to go digging.

**THE BLOOD PACK**: The Blood Pack is the largest violent gang on the Citadel, and one which has maintained a presence for centuries in some form or another. There is little to say about them, outside that they are involved in the most dangerous of the Wards, and if there is a gang shootout, one of those factions will almost certainly be Blood Pack.

Ironically, C-Sec tends to prefer dealing with Blood Pack criminals, as they have a high arrest rate, and usually there is no ambiguity about the crime they are involved in. Dealing with them is dangerous, but legally, they are among the easiest to successfully prosecute. Few in the Blood Pack have an understanding of law, and if captured will more than likely outright admit to the crime – leading to their sentence being the maximum allowed.

As a result, the Blood Pack is also the largest established gang in Citadel prisons, and there are no programs or methods in place to mitigate this. This has, at times, led to prison riots and the Blood Pack has sometimes tried sieging prisons to free the inmates, but these have never been successful.

Despite their size, the Blood Pack is largely seen by C-Sec as an irritant, but one which can be contained and is not actually influential on the Citadel.

**ECLIPSE**: Eclipse are considered the 'major' gang power on the Citadel, and while they lack the numbers of the Blood Pack, they make up for it in organization and leadership. The leader of the Eclipse cell is a particularly wily asari who has managed to outwit every C-Sec executor for the past five decades, even after some near-defeats.

While they lack the intricate sophistication of Hades, they nonetheless have effective drug and arms operations that C-Sec has had trouble fully dismantling. Their operatives are trained and professional (by gang standards), and capable of engaging with C-Sec Lethal Operatives. Often for major operations against Eclipse, C-Sec has to call up support from CDF or Citadel Intelligence.

There was a point where Eclipse attempted to maintain a private security business, but the issue they kept running into was that they kept getting arrested every time. The reason for this was that the same people involved in drug operations were also providing security, and they thought C-Sec wouldn't notice.

Unfortunately for them, they noticed, and paid dearly for the blunder.

The Blue Suns have effectively pushed them out of ever entering the market again, even if they tried, and Eclipse as an organization is too stained by its criminal operations to be considered 'legal', whereas the Blue Suns have always maintained an image closer to a private security company than a criminal organization.

As a result, Eclipse has fully shifted to supporting illicit activities on the Citadel, and there is a growing effort to shatter Eclipse altogether by C-Sec. Eclipse appears to be preparing for a major push, and has been establishing redundancies and contingencies, as well as slightly scaling back operations. After four dozen Eclipse personnel were arrested in the past three weeks, there is speculation that Citadel Intelligence has decided to support the shattering of Eclipse on the station.

There is an opportunity for us here, should we wish a firmer grip on the Citadel underworld. The opening is here, and it is worth considering.

**THE SHIFTER**: The most infamous resident of the Citadel is one of the most controversial among C-Sec for many, many reasons. There has, ever since the Shifter first appeared on the station, an unspoken _agreement_ between them. The Shifter has been a legitimate source for C-Sec, informing on numerous criminal activities which have led to some major arrests.

These are, of course, only done on the whim of the enigmatic crime lord himself, and likely for his own amusement. In return he demanded conditional immunity, which a previous executor granted (a review of the records revealed that the Shifter acquired blackmail on the previous executor from us to force this agreement) and it has remained in place ever since.

Citadel Security completely and utterly loathes the Shifter, and since the beginning of the 'arrangement' multiple high-ranking C-Sec commanders, captains, and officers have almost begged to arrest him, and legally, they have found they cannot. At the same time, this is primarily because the Shifter doesn't go out of his way to _materially_ affect C-Sec – but he will psychologically mess with them in many ways.

Sometimes casually entering academies and requesting a meeting with the Executor, joining C-Sec Commanders for lunch, making small talk with phone calls directly to officers, he has the reputation of an insane and dangerous lunatic that is untouchable for reasons that less and less people are accepting.

Just as there has been a shift between how C-Sec is treating the Broker Network, we believe there will be a…well, shift in how the Shifter is handled. The Executor is willing to annul the immunity agreement provided to the Shifter, so long as he has the support of Citadel Intelligence and several SPECTREs.

We believe Citadel Intelligence has provided their support, and he is in the process of acquiring SPECTRE support as of the writing of this report. The Shifter is, of course, aware of this through his own sources and channels, and reportedly called to warn the Executor – politely of course – not to go through with it.

The Executor reportedly hung up, and the next day the Shifter's residence was visited by a group of technicians who had come to install 'security improvements' to 'protect a deeply valuable long-time source'. C-Sec likely did not intend for the installations to actually be effective, but it was a message sent that the arrangement may be coming to a close.

The Shifter remains on the Citadel, and shortly after this C-Sec received complaints from the SIX, the Council, and a few other groups effectively warning to not endanger the Shifter on threat of unspecified 'consequences'. A call to Director Fidel appeared to put a stop to these threats, likely employing the extensive material that Fidel has collected himself.

It remains to be seen what will happen to the Shifter, but it is likely that his days of comfort on the Citadel are going to end shortly.

* * *

**PERSONNEL OF NOTE**

**DETECTIVE ALANDA T'YANA**: There are two detectives of C-Sec which are worth noting, for different reasons. The first is Alanda T'Yana, the longest-serving detective in Citadel Security, with nearly four hundred years on the force. There has been very little that she has not seen or experienced when it comes to law enforcement.

From murders, to robberies, to insurrections, she has seen everything, and very often has been involved in the largest cases in the organization's history. Despite being a detective, she's developed enough of a reputation that the higher-profile criminals are aware of her, and have attempted to disrupt her when they became aware of her involvement.

She's survived numerous assassination attempts, two of which were nearly fatal, but none of this deterred her, and over the years have become a source of amusement. Notably, she's never been in prolonged violent engagements, despite her extensive service period, and doesn't even carry a weapon, relying on her biotics to protect her (and in most cases, they have).

Her rank does not reflect her own internal authority, as she has historically refused promotion opportunities because she doesn't want to become involved in the administrative and political work promotions would require. Nonetheless she has almost an unofficial Cabinet role in C-Sec. If there is a major case that _needs_ to be solved, Alanda is assigned to it.

She's an accomplished scholar, has effectively written the book on modern forensics, and for a quarter of the year she runs an elite forensics class on the Citadel University to prospective detectives, and various workshops and presentations throughout the year. No one knows when she will eventually retire, but as of this point she has not signaled her intentions, and considering recent events, there is even less of a chance she'll leave when such events are happening.

**DETECTIVE CAUSTER DORI**: The second detective of note is a relative newcomer to C-Sec – Causter Dori is a drell, and that should immediately demonstrate _why_ he is valuable to the organization. An officer with a perfect memory is an advantage most law enforcement groups would kill for, and when Causter expressed interest, he was almost immediately hired.

It has not been a completely smooth transition, as he has faced some internal friction by officers who are concerned he may be a hanar spy, as they haven't forgotten the actions of loyalist drell of the Second Refusal War. Causter's friendliness with the Citadel hanar has not eased this perception.

Despite this, Causter is known as being prompt, polite, and professional in his duties that makes it difficult for people to dislike him. He's a master at psychology, body language, and facial reading. He demonstrates a remarkable affinity for reading turians in particular, whose facial expressions are known for being less clear than humans, asari, or salarians.

Causter is often involved in one of two ways – in the case directly as an on-site detective where he will personally observe the crime scene, conduct interviews, collect pieces of information from witnesses, and then take this and form the narrative. The second is to support ongoing cases; these will usually be performing interviews, of which he is a master.

With perfect memory, it is extremely easy for Causter to refer to earlier statements, expose contradictions, lay verbal traps, and leverage bias and emotion to elicit the truth. It is impossible to lie to him for long, because he _will_ eventually catch you in a trap – something he appears to personally enjoy doing.

He's also been employed in courts as well as a prosecutor, and he has become effective to the point where defendants will often try and file injunctions against him if they learn he will represent the prosecution. Very rarely is this approved, and the few times it is, it's usually against less serious criminal cases.

Despite his relatively short time on the force, in a few more years, it is likely that Causter will solidify himself as one of the best detectives in C-Sec history. He has not made his promotion ambitions publicly known, but unlike Alanda, he does appear to want to reach the highest ranks of C-Sec – and barring a surprise, he will achieve this.

**EXTERNAL AGENT VENOR ASHALA**: Diplomat, detective, and crime-fighter, Venor Ashala is the public face of C-Sec beyond the Citadel. Drawn from the STG (more on that shortly), he is the most widely known External Agent, and has worked on cases from Thessia to Earth.

He's widely acknowledged to be one of the best officers in Citadel Security, if for no other reason than his ability to manage and coordinate large cases that have multiple agencies, some of whom have rivalries or distrust each other. Venor is able to downplay the divisions, make compromises, and keep everyone focused on the important things.

His diplomatic skills are impressive, and somewhat surprising for a salarian in his position. That is where his true worth is. While he is an able detective, his skill is less on the actual crime work, and on keeping the multi-government and inter-agency alliances from collapsing and cases stalling to a crawl.

Normally, not everyone has a positive opinion on him, but even his detractors respect him, even if it results in compromises no one is fully satisfied with. Venor does not appear to be overly bothered by his detractors, and has stated that his intention is to solve cases, not make friends. And despite this, he has made friends in very high places.

They notably are not in law enforcement, but he has acquaintances in the Thirty, the SIX, and even some contacts in the Hierarchy and Systems Alliance. We believe that his effectiveness is further augmented when there is _additional_ pressure of cooperation from the government directly.

It is very likely that he remains in contact with the STG, and that C-Sec is tangibly aware of this, but is tolerating it because of his effectiveness. C-Sec believes that spreading their profile is a necessary step, and if Venor can help them achieve this, they are willing to overlook some of his suspected ties.

The question, of course, is what Venor's end goals are, or what the STG are receiving from this arrangement. A question that should be looked into.

**COVERT OPERATIVE LORN: **I would like to highlight one of the best-kept secrets of Citadel Security. The man known as Lorn who is a very old krogan. A krogan who also happens to be a long-time Covert Operative, and by far the most successful in the entire history of C-Sec.

Finding details on his past is more difficult than assumed, but we believe that, if he is not of the Ganar clan, he is closely tied to them. He's notably socially cognizant for a krogan, and either aliens have rubbed off on him, or he's very good at presenting himself. He is still more than capable of acting like your standard thickheaded and bloodthirsty krogan, but if Lorn is doing that, it's a front.

No one believes that C-Sec would ever employ a krogan (there are no krogan officers), so that immediately gives him cover to 'infiltrate' places that others would have difficulty reaching. Every minor gang or criminal group wants nothing more than a strong krogan on their side, and Lorn fits that bill perfectly.

Once he's in, well, it's not long until that group falls apart, is arrested, or straight-up killed in the middle of the night. Lorn _is_ a krogan, and C-Sec doesn't investigate too hard if he doesn't bother with the arrests and just kills the group he infiltrated. He gathers the justifiable evidence, of course, but Lorn setting his targets up for arrest somewhat depends on how he's feeling that day.

Despite this arguable skirting of the law, he is far too effective for C-Sec to really clamp down on, generously assuming they'd want to do that at all. He's brought down hundreds of criminal groups over his career, and almost no one knows of him. Part of his effectiveness is that he is usually too tantalizing to ignore, even if there are some suspicions. Further obfuscating his role is that in the event of arrests, he's arrested with all of them, solidifying his cover – and of course, usually being moved to 'solitary confinement' for safety.

And of course, the moment he's out of sight, he's thanked for a job well done, and he goes out for a drink to Chora's Den to celebrate, usually with an asari stripper or two. He's far from the clean, respectable C-Sec officer, but no one can deny that he's good at his job.

**COMMANDER MARIAN VAKAS**: The Demon of the Wards is not a name which is given to most urban legends, let alone an officer of C-Sec, yet that is the moniker that Commander Marian Vakas, of Lethal Response, earned. A former Asari Commando, Marian does not fit the traditional asari stereotype whatsoever.

Her size is multiple factors above the average, and she towers over most humans, asari, and is equivalent in height to most turians. Her physique is comparable to military human males, with an unorthodox focus on raw strength over the lithe speed and flexibility of average asari soldiers. Rumors that are wrong insist that she's the product of some kind of asari super-soldier program, or another experiment of some kind.

None of this is true. There has been nothing we have found that has indicated that Marian is anything other than a natural asari who stands out from the rest. While it is somewhat surprising she did not stay with the Commandos, this only is brought up when they don't know her history. A good number of the Vakas Clan have been involved in C-Sec, and she almost certainly grew up hearing stories of C-Sec and the officers in it.

She's always been fascinated by the Citadel, and loved living on the station. Despite her intimidating exterior, she was a notably extroverted woman, and spent all of her free time exploring the Citadel, visiting the monuments and museums, and was a regular in the Citadel nightlife.

Joining C-Sec was less of a spontaneous decision, and more of an expected evolution. It is likely that she would have enjoyed a standard half-century in C-Sec before moving on, had she not been the victim of an aircar bombing which nearly killed her. Even surviving she would have lost her legs, her right arm, and most of her left, and retired from C-Sec with honors.

Instead, she was given an offer – C-Sec had been appraised of an experimental program which would be able to fully restore her to operational strength with military-grade prosthetics and augmentations. This program was one which had been intended for Citadel militaries, but Marian just happened to be the first one who could qualify for the procedure.

While C-Sec wasn't quite sure what they would do with a next-generation cyborg – assuming the procedure would be successful – they were willing to present the option. Marian accepted, and the procedure was completed successfully. She is the sole full-conversion officer in C-Sec, at exactly sixty-one percent.

All of her limbs are cybernetic, and her remaining organic body has been reinforced through inserted augments. The majority of her sensory organs – eyes and ears primarily – have been replaced with cybernetic equivalents, giving alternate vision options and the ability to focus her senses more clearly.

Her brain was augmented with greyboxes and hairline reflex augments, allowing a near-instantaneous reaction upon perception. Her biotics are no longer as powerful or focused, but she has effectively become a permanently armored supersoldier. Not knowing where to place her, she was put into Lethal Response as the only place to leverage her advantages.

One deployment and witnessing the new and improved cyborg systematically terminate a dozen gangbangers with no collateral opened their eyes to her potential. Some in C-Sec were uncomfortable with a woman so militarized being part of the force, but they were overruled, as others in C-Sec pointed out that they had someone who could take on a krogan.

And she has taken on many, many krogan. The origin of her infamous moniker comes from the time she was en-route to support C-Sec, and her aircar was shot down over a poorer section of the Wards that C-Sec had little influence, and was crawling with gangs and criminals. Word soon spread who had landed, and truces were called in an attempt to put down an officer of her caliber.

Marian was ordered to hold tight, and help was coming. She instead went on the offensive. With no weapons at her disposal, she found the first disorganized group that came to kill her, terminated them, and appropriated their weapons. For the next twenty-four hours she marched throughout that section of the Wards, ambushing and executing every single gang member she came across until she couldn't find anymore, and returned to a Ward that C-Sec had control over.

Word of that event spread, and stories popped up almost immediately, with supposed eyewitnesses claiming that she'd picked off people one by one, and took out the lights before blowing up their building. Or that she'd emerged from the shadows, and dragged others into the void. The stories were fantastical and inaccurate. One look at Marian and you know it's almost impossible for this woman to be 'stealthy'. It's very unlikely that she could pretend to be Batman with the level of conversion she is at.

Nonetheless, that was her moment, and solidified her place at C-Sec. In the following years she was promoted and is now the Commander of Lethal Response. She was responsible for managing to defend C-Sec headquarters against the Geth during the Battle of the Citadel, and took down one of the Prime units – one of the few who have been able to do so.

**EXECUTOR VENARI PALLIN**: There are parallels to be drawn between Executor Pallin and Councilor Sparatus. Both are turians who advanced far in the meritocracy. Both are examples of the stereotypical stubborn turian, and both are absolutely not what they portray themselves as. While this is less applicable to Pallin, there are a number of _other _parallels that raise serious questions.

For reasons that continue to elude me, this is _another_ former _Deathwatch_ commander in a position of authority and absolutely no one seems to particularly care – even more baffling is that Pallin is the leader of Citadel Security – the head of law enforcement for the Citadel. Putting a former _leader_ of Deathwatch is equivalent to placing an abuser in charge of a relief program.

Then again, the Committee of Rights exists, so perhaps this should not be surprising.

There are some clarifications to make regarding the differences of Pallin's tenure in Deathwatch, and that of Sparatus. Pallin came solely from the Determinance, and was never directly involved in the day-to-day activities of the Revengeance – though this should not be mistaken for ignorance. Pallin knew what the Deathwatch was doing, and doubtless sanctioned multiple such operations.

The curious part about Pallin's tenure is that there was always some level of resistance to it. Pallin appears to be far less comfortable with the actions of the Deathwatch, and is cut from the more traditional 'honorable' stock of turians, yet this has not prevented him from carrying out his duties.

It is believed that he would have resigned from Deathwatch far sooner, though he is good friends with Praetor Fedorian since childhood, and his friend kept encouraging him to remain. There are indications that Pallin was interested in making significant reforms to the Deathwatch, but was blocked from carrying them out. There is limited evidence for this, but unlike Sparatus, the mannerisms of Pallin more closely resemble that of a typical turian mindset than one which has embraced the mission of Deathwatch.

The deaths of his wife and children also likely played a role in keeping him in Deathwatch longer than he would have otherwise, and certainly played a role in his decision to join C-Sec afterwards. The speed of which he left and joined speaks to a psychological need to wash his hands of what he oversaw, and he is known as one of the staunchest advocates of the law; a hardliner the likes of which C-Sec has not seen in decades.

Yet there are vestiges of Deathwatch that remain. Pallin is willing to tolerate unorthodox activities, and sometimes not-strictly legal actions undertaken by officers if they are properly justified and they get the job done. A normal turian would not bend the rules. Pallin is willing to let those rules bend, a consequence of commanding Deathwatch and an understanding that full adherence to the law is an ideal, not pragmatic.

He has overseen the continued modernization of Citadel Security, and heavily invested in expanding the reach and influence of the organization, and more recently has been willing to work closer with Citadel Intelligence. He is infamous in his hatred of the SPECTREs – probably because they remind him of the Deathwatch, only with less accountability – which has made him several notable enemies, both within the SPECTREs, and Citadel Station itself.

The Deathwatch has also shaped his personal views. He distrusts humans because he sees them as puppets of the asari, and views the volus as rogue operators that the Hierarchy should have reigned in. While he makes _some_ effort to reign in his biases, most humans come away from conversations thinking he's prejudiced against him, and there is a standard unspoken rule that Pallin and any volus C-Sec personnel should never be in the same room.

While Pallin is not in peak fighting shape as he once was, he still maintains his marksmanship skills, and should be considered dangerous. His fighting days may be over, but even if he is not the actor Sparatus is, never forget that he came from the Deathwatch, and those who come from the Deathwatch are never to be underestimated.

* * *

**NOTABLE CASES**

Throughout the history of Citadel Security, there have been a number of impactful, interesting, or significant cases. This report will not go through every single major case, but it will highlight some of them, a few of which have implications that should be considered while moving forward. Not every major case C-Sec has managed has been solved, and in some cases they outright failed to prevent the crime.

In those cases, the impact or aftermath of the case is ultimately more important, and I consider it a relevant note to close this section of the report.

**THE MURDERS OF HADE**: Hade of the self-styled T'Zora Clan, or perhaps better known by her birth name as Cassilyn T'Armal is – or was I should say – the most dangerous serial killer to stalk the streets of Citadel Station. A socialite, master seductress, master of disguise, and an ardat-yakshi who was protected by the T'Armal clan for two centuries before she went rogue, Hade was one of the few criminals who C-Sec was actually unable to catch.

As an asari who had been raised in high society, and received some of the best education possible, in addition to being one of the Thirty, was a more wily and unpredictable opponent than many people would initially assume. This was a woman who made the choice to be a serial killer to feed her desire to bond.

The T'Armal Clan attempted to sate her hunger by giving her clanless, but she had very specific tastes, and found the idea of linking with random common asari repulsive. To Hade, bonding was only satisfying when it had been earned and it was with someone who was truly worth her interest.

Ironically, she hated her family, and hated most of the Thirty, seeing them as vapid actors living false lives and bound in traditions and pointless ceremony their whole lives. She has no sympathy for the clanless either, seeing them as weaklings unwilling to force the Thirty to take notice of them.

This attitude likely shaped her personal and sexual tastes. She had no interest in women or other asari (one likely reason why the Thirty never took Hade seriously, despite significant evidence that they were dealing with an ardat-yakshi), and her favorite targets were turian males. She focused on extremes; rebels and hardcore anti-establishment figures, or the most strait-laced honorable types. People who would be considered 'normal' she ignored, as well as people in political roles (another reason the cases didn't receive the necessary attention – Hade never murdered anyone who was actually important).

Her methods of seducing her targets were extremely elaborate, and there is ongoing debate on if it was or was not genuine. Hade was an odd figure in the sense that she does not fit the classical definition of a sociopath, as she _did_ appear to care about her targets – while at the same time preparing to kill them in a ritualistic meld.

She avoided the pitfalls of most criminal ardat-yakshi, and never chose her targets off of one-night stands. She frequented bars, public events, libraries, shopping malls, and sporting events, looking for someone who caught her fancy. If she found one, they'd have a conversation, and if she was intrigued, she'd arrange a meeting again later. Sometimes these would develop further, sometimes not. Hade is the only ardat-yakshi criminal we know of who has voluntarily _given up_ an opportunity for melding.

Hade had remarkable self-control for one of her kind, and despite the rumors that she satiated herself with sex workers, that would have been detected by C-Sec. It is likely that she _did_ employ sex workers in between targets, though without melding. It was a tactic she employed with her targets too, it was not uncommon for her to not bond during regular sexual escapades – again, remarkable control for an ardat-yakshi.

However, peculiarities aside, the true reason she eluded C-Sec for _centuries_ was because she was a master of disguise. She could completely change her appearance through makeup, often worse fashionable asari facial coverings or accessories, and had no shortage of outfits. Further enhancing her skills were an uncanny ability to avoid security cameras, maintain contingencies, and memorize her immediate surroundings, allowing for quick exits.

Despite her contempt for actors, she is in fact an excellent one herself. She was capable of portraying herself as a high-class socialite or a more down-to-earth clanless worker. She altered her approach depending on the setting and person she was speaking to. She talked her way out of several dangerous situations, including no fewer than three times to a C-Sec officer directly.

After a long time, C-Sec was beginning to think that they would never catch her, and she'd die of old age before she was actually brought to justice. This would likely have happened if not for sheer chance. A random person – someone who had _actually_ been one of Hade's targets before she'd decided it wouldn't work, saw an artistic rendition of Hade, and immediately called C-Sec, as he'd seen her wandering in an area they used to frequent.

Upon hearing this, C-Sec begrudgingly made the call to forward it to the SPECTREs, as they didn't want to risk her getting away. They'd made the assumption that Hade was an ardat-yakshi, and likely a powerful biotic – more powerful than they could feasibly deal with. Even if they sent in Lethal Response, it also might tip her off.

It was received by the SPECTREs, who answered that it would be taken care of. One hour later, a sniper blew Hade's brain's out as she's walking home, having never once suspected she was in danger. An autopsy brought up her real identity, and an Asari SPECTRE intervened to suppress details of the case from leaking, as obviously knowledge that a T'Armal was the most infamous serial killer on the Citadel would have been quite damning.

The case serves as an example of how people are sometimes not brought down by incompetence or failures to prepare, but sheer dumb luck. Something that C-Sec hates to rely on, but when all fails, sometimes that's all they need.

**THE PURPLE SYNDICATE INCIDENT**: Where to start.

This is one of the most outlandish, absurd, and laughable incidents in the history of Citadel Station, and reviewing the material makes me wonder if it was switched with a poorly-made sitcom, but no, all of this was very much real. I suppose it needs to start at the inciting incident, or I should say, inciting organization.

The Purple Syndicate was one of the more established outlets of organized crime several centuries ago. The name derived from the colors of the nebulae around Citadel Station. They were organized, had a number of off-station connections, and were extremely difficult to dislodge. They primarily trafficked in drugs, prostitution, organs, arms, and were also low-level information brokers.

They were a multi-species coalition, with a leadership of five individuals, each of whom oversaw a specific industry. This obviously was unacceptable to C-Sec, and they finally decided to initiate a long-term operation to bring the Purple Syndicate down. A standard, understandable plan. Several Covert Operatives were deployed, with the goal of rising through the ranks and gaining as much information as possible.

As it turned out, C-Sec was not the _only_ group which wanted the Purple Syndicate taken down. Citadel Intelligence had also classified the syndicate as a threat, and moved to destroy it. CINT dispatched their _own_ agent to infiltrate and take down the organization. This was, of course, done without informing C-Sec.

It was mentioned above that Purple Syndicate had off-station connections. These connections included salarians and asari on Ilium and several salarian colony worlds – prominent enough that both governments knew about the criminal unit. Not seeing action taken against them, the STG deployed several infiltrators to the Citadel to infiltrate, and the asari activated several of their Discerning operatives on the Citadel to co-opt the organization and bring down the Ilium operations.

In short, there were four different organizations, from three different governments, all working to infiltrate one criminal organization, and none of them knew about each other. This went about as well as you would expect. It's difficult to ascertain how often the infiltrators encountered each other in the early stages of the infiltration, but they _must_ have crossed paths at some point.

The STG infiltrators unsurprisingly rose the fastest, and began exerting influence over their intelligence gathering operations (and subsequently sabotaging them to some degree). The Discerning blackmailed their way to the top as well. C-Sec took longer, but they proved their loyalty (with a good amount of lying and bribery). CINT just arranged the assassination of one of the leadership, and then positioned themselves to replace them. It actually worked perfectly.

The result? Four out of the five members of the leadership of the Purple Syndicate were spies for different groups. While most of them had refrained from any _major_ activities to increase their chances of ascending, now that they had leadership positions, they began working. As you can imagine – Purple Syndicate started _rapidly_ going downhill will almost every facet of their operations sabotaged.

Shipments were delayed, destroyed, or never appeared. Millions of credits just went missing. Members accidentally were led into traps by C-Sec or planetary law enforcement. Organs had wrong expiration dates and rotted before sale dates, information sold turned out to be faulty, damaging trust in Purple Syndicate. It was in short, a mess, and the leader was flabbergasted about how _every single one_ of his inner circle was so incompetent. If it had been one, it would have been easy to guess a spy. But he did not know how to possibly handle _all_ of them.

Now all of the spies had actually become good friends with each other, and always without fail boosted the ego of each other, and could not believe their luck about how everyone was so incompetent, and naturally wanted to encourage that. Utterly hilarious how all of them didn't know they were all working towards the same mission.

Then one of them, one day, proposed that they take control of the group completely, and this was obviously met with universal agreement. Purple Syndicate was in shambles at this point, their reputation destroyed, and all of the spies spending all the money on personal items and mismanaging the rest. They were facing desertions everywhere, to the dismay of the leader who finally called an emergency meeting, where he ranted and raved about how utterly stupid and incompetent they all were and they were fired.

This was obviously not effective. All of the spies looked at each other (still ignorant about the farcical situation they were in), and quite earnestly contested the claim, and asserted that no, they were actually doing a very good job, and wow was it suspicious that he was so angry with them. Was it possible he was a spy sent to bring down their prestigious organization?

One thing led to another, and the CINT infiltrator finally shot him to the applause of the others. At this, the C-Sec operative judged that it was best to bring down the group for good, as much as he was friendly with his partners in crime, he anticipated that it would break into a power struggle shortly, and all of them were too stupid to work together now that the leader was gone.

So C-Sec stormed their 'secure hideout', and arrested all of them. Obviously, none of the spies attempted to defend themselves, as they were part of an operation to dismantle the organization. C-Sec was _very_ surprised to find out in debriefs that _all_ of them were moles for CINT, STG, and an Asari Special Operative (C-Sec has no knowledge of the Discerning, and the Discerning in question had a planned cover story).

They actually thought all of them were lying, but communication with the respective organizations confirmed their identities, much to the _vast_ amusement of literally everyone involved. The C-Sec Executor at the time actually laughed for a solid minute when he was told exactly what happened, and pretty much everyone else who heard.

All of the spies were told, of course, and all of them remained good friends after the incident, and obviously found the whole situation as funny as everyone else. Naturally, this led to some _changes_ in how the agencies communicated with each other, and everyone agreed that if similar operations were to take place in the future, it would be prudent to make sure it wasn't already being handled by C-Sec or CINT _before_ launching their own.

This incident also served as the basis for several spy comedy serials, as well as three documentaries, and one feature film – which amazingly is _toned down_ from the actual incident, because the studio said that the scenario was 'not realistic'. Reality sometimes truly is stranger than fiction.

**THE LITTLE RIOTS**: One would think that after the failure which was the Ward Riots, the insurrectionists and gangs might figure out that trying to riot or forcibly take over swaths of the Citadel would end badly. This was a lesson which was lost on a rising gang which preferred to self-style as a militia – they were known as the Five Points, a reference to the five arms of Citadel Station.

To their credit – this was not a disorganized, incompetent group of criminals, but ideologues who used crime as a pathway to their 'ideal' society. Composed primarily of dishonored turians, deviant salarians, clanless asari, and a rather curious Depthwalker volus. Misfits and outcasts all around, bound together by a single ideology of communalism.

Each one had grievances against their respective governments, or the dominant social and economical structures, and this of course extended to the Citadel Council who they viewed as the greatest extension of this power. One cannot say the Five Points were not ambitious – they planned to force a negotiation between 'the disaffected people of the Citadel' and the Council, and were under some belief that the Council would actually listen to them.

To strengthen their negotiating position, they would take over sections of the Wards across the Citadel through military force. The ex-military turians plotted out how much territory they could feasibly hold and defend, and the Depthwalker determined the estimated food and credits necessary for a long-term siege. They were estimating that C-Sec wouldn't shoot back, as the single lesson they'd taken from the Ward Riots was that "C-Sec didn't want to be seen shooting civilians." And not "C-Sec starved out vast sections of the wards and everyone left died slow and painful deaths".

Perhaps I am giving them too much credit. It shows there is a clear distinction between knowledge and wisdom. But I digress.

The day came, and Five Points moved out. They took over small pieces of territory in five places on the Citadel – each on a different arm. They plotted their territory which included grocery stores, water plants, and limited civilian housing. Several C-Sec officers in the area were captured and intended to be used as hostages.

Five Points quickly harnessed the local poor and homeless population, arming and feeding them and strengthening their numbers. It was executed quite expertly, and they made their demands known, broadcasting all over the Citadel. C-Sec answered first, and attempted negotiations. Crisis Response was able to get several of the hostages free, with promises of getting the Council involved.

They didn't intend to do this, obviously, and news of this spread to several of the other Five Point takeover sites, who threatened to kill the hostages. C-Sec became a lot less friendly in their negotiations, warning to free the officers or the situation would get worse. What Five Points didn't realize that the incident had attracted the attention of the SPECTREs. One of whom was mounting a rescue operation.

Suffice to say, they did not stand a chance against the SPECTRE, and Five Points was now without hostages, with SPECTREs involved, and C-Sec unwilling to negotiate. They quickly determined this was not going as well as they had hoped, and now C-Sec had intervened and locked down all entries and exists, preventing any escape.

The blackouts, water stoppages, and network access was cut soon after, dividing each of the rebel sites apart from each other, causing confusion and isolation. Ironically though, C-Sec was now in heated talk with other SPECTREs who had learned and were coming to intervene. The Gang of Four (Yes, Hazuma's Gang of Four) were stating their intention to terminate each of the insurrectionists. C-Sec argued that they would surrender after a couple weeks with minimal loss of life. SPECTRE Hazuma T'Armal disagreed, and effectively overruled the Executor, stating that 'The Citadel will not tolerate sedition on this station, and the lessons of the Ward Riots were clearly not enough. Future insurrectionists will think twice when they remember the bloodied streets.'

That night the Gang of Four entered Ward-41 and systematically slaughtered every single person who they connected to the revolt. C-Sec acted on their own initiative, unable to prevent the SPECTREs from acting, but not wanting a bloodbath, and actively warned the remaining rebels that if they did not surrender, they would be executed by SPECTREs.

Two of the Five Points groups surrendered, while the others accused C-Sec of lying. With communications down, this was not an unreasonable assumption, but one which doomed them. The Five Points members who surrendered were charged and spent a considerable amount of time in prison. The ones who didn't were all killed.

The official narrative is that Five Points fell apart after a few days, and descended into civil war or surrendered to C-Sec after they were cut off from the rest of the station. Neither C-Sec nor the SPECTREs really claimed credit for the resolution and the full story is not known to the public. This was, however, a major incident which further soured C-Sec on SPECTRE intervention, further compounded when they confirmed that a small number of civilians were killed when the Gang of Four intervened.

**THE KEEPER KILLINGS**: Despite the name of this particular case, it is likely not what most imagine it to contain. Citadel law forbids the interference or killings of the keepers. There are extremely steep fines for doing so, and even most criminals avoid messing with the keepers, largely because they have no reason to, and ironically, you will attract more attention that way.

So when C-Sec received a report about a keeper corpse, they immediately opened an investigation. Keepers don't die of old age, and their lifecycle is one of the best-kept secrets of Citadel Station (Refer to SECTION 7 for information about the keepers) – suffice to say that no keeper has _ever_ been found which died of natural causes. In every single instance it has been a premeditated killing. C-Sec expected this one would be no different.

They were right, except this one was unlike any body they'd found before. In most cases, the keeper is killed by firearms, or in rare cases, bludgeoning. This corpse has none of the expected marks. There were odd bite marks on the neck, and several of the arms were dislocated. There was no security footage of the event, nor any witnesses.

C-Sec took the corpse in for an autopsy, which is usually not done. In the event that C-Sec gets to a body at all (this is harder than you think, since the keepers sometimes clean up before C-Sec arrives), the body itself usually isn't that important if there are no witnesses or examinations. While valuable, keepers are not treated as sapient, and there is equivalent effort put into the investigation as if a pet had been killed. Performing in-depth autopsies is often a waste of resources.

It is worth remembering that there is an official Council mandate that prevents research or data-gathering on keepers, though C-Sec justified their actions as in pursuit of an investigation. An autopsy – the first ever performed on a keeper – revealed that it had died when an unidentified nerve poison was injected into its system.

And that was when the SPECTREs got involved. Several SPECTREs promptly confiscated the body, reprimanded C-Sec for breaking the Council mandate, and left without providing an explanation. The case hadn't been closed down, but C-Sec now only had partial evidence. A week of solid research passed before they came to the suspected, but still surprising conclusion that another keeper had been responsible.

They were not confident in this because they didn't have full anatomical knowledge of keepers, and the SPECTREs were being silent, but there were no other suspects which fit. Out of desperation, they ran the sample of the nerve poison – and found exactly four hits. All cases which had been deemed cold, and each one similar.

A single individual, who had died via what had _previously_ been assumed to be a custom poison. The poison had been determined to have been injected in three cases, and ingested in the remaining one. There were no similar bite marks, but there were odd incisions that didn't match known bladed weapons. In the case of the one who had died via ingestion, there had been a higher amount of the poison in the system, indicating a higher dosage.

While this obviously isn't enough to implicate a keeper as responsible for their deaths – the coincidence is notable. One thing in common the victims had? They were all computer scientists, and had each been part of the Citadel System Administrators – the individuals who work to understand the underlying intelligence in Citadel Station.

It is unknown if this is important, or just a coincidence, but it disquieted a lot of the detectives who worked on it, and what raised the most questions was _why_ a keeper would want to seemingly kill random citizens – and how many more they might have. C-Sec has repeatedly tried to force recensions on bans into keeper research several times, and each time have been rejected.

Until a more comprehensive understanding is achieved, the Keeper Killings will probably remain unresolved.

**THE PRESIDIUM BOMBING SCARE**: A series of intentional warnings about bombs, forcing C-Sec and everyone on edge; turned out to be a rogue AI who wanted to toy with C-Sec. Was eventually shut down.

If you ask most asari who lived on the Citadel roughly a century ago, they would recount the Presidium Bombing Scare with acute clarity. It was one of the most tense periods on the Citadel. It began when an anonymous caller left a series of cryptic numbers, which C-Sec deduced were coordinates, and when they found the coordinates, they found a device believed to be a bomb.

After evacuating the surrounding area, they brought in explosives teams, and learned that it wasn't a bomb at all, but an elaborate hoax. C-Sec obviously attempted to locate the person who'd left the call, but soon found that the caller had been using double proxies, and the number was technically off-station, somewhere in the Attican Traverse.

Two weeks later, another call, with another series of numbers. The people handling the call took note of anything off in the voice, and could only determine that it was male, and likely filtered. They attempted an automatic trace, but the caller hung up before it could be completed. C-Sec soon reached the second location, and saw a similar device.

They initially believed it to also be a hoax, though followed protocol and brought the bomb squads. It was fortunate they did, as this one _was_ a bomb, and one on a timer to detonate roughly two hours before it was defused. The two bombs, one real and one a hoax was raising tensions throughout the Citadel.

C-Sec presence tripled and the Presidium Guard was placed on full alert as a manhunt was ordered to bring the culprit to justice. Two more weeks, and the caller again. This time was a set of three numbers, each leading to completely different places. C-Sec was able to successfully trace the call to the source, as they dispatched the teams.

Only to find nothing at each location.

Whoever the culprit was, their goal appeared to be to mess with C-Sec and put them through repeated challenges. No demands were made, no explanation was given, but now that C-Sec knew that there _was_ a risk of bombs, they couldn't dismiss the incidents as hoaxes. Officers were on edge, citizens were afraid, and the Presidium streets were barren.

Then another call – but this one was much, much odder. The voice began with the standard string of numbers, but then abruptly shifted voice and pitch to begin repeating a line of a new book at the time, before returning to the numbers, before emitting an unsettling electronic speech, before finishing the series of numbers.

That was the big break – with that, C-Sec was able to confirm a suspicion they had put forward – the caller was a rogue VI or AI. Very little would have explained its breakdown, as well as the difficulty in tracking it down. Armed with this knowledge, Cyber Crimes was working to isolate network traffic and spikes, in conjunction with Citadel Intelligence who leveraged their own departments to locate and isolate the rogue intelligence.

Meanwhile, C-Sec teams had successfully defused the bomb – a real one again. Cyber teams had managed to locate the primary hardware. A cross-check of cyber attacks over the past month revealed a number of attempted penetrations on Citadel supercomputers, which were soundly defeated – the only reason why the intelligence hadn't diversified and spread to other platforms.

Parts of it had managed to infect certain minor systems, but those were being quarantined by Cyber Crimes while C-Sec was breaking into the home of a minor artificial intelligence specialist (who it was found committed suicide, with his body rotting where C-Sec found it). They found the hardware, and destroyed it.

What actually happened didn't come out until a long investigation. The specialist in question had created a primitive AI (illegally), though suffered from depression, and as he lived in a poor part of the Wards, found himself unable to pay his bills. The stress, combined with frustrations on his pet project, was enough to drive him to suicide. His anti-social behavior led to no one reporting his death, and even the landlord had only started to send payment reminders.

The AI in question was poorly made and unstable. For some reason, it appeared to blame C-Sec for its creator's death, and sought to drain its resources through bomb scares. The fragmentation was anticipated, and even had C-Sec not found it, it would have slipped into a fugue state within weeks. It had been able to acquire the bombs by revealing itself to a small gang deep in the Wards, and convincing them of a master plan it possessed. This gang immediately jumped on the chance to have a friendly AI, and agreed, and they served as the AIs operatives who planted the bombs, sometimes weeks ahead of time.

As the arrested members tell it, the plan was very elaborate. It was intended to increase exponentially. It would be one bomb which was a hoax, another which was real, then three fake, then one real, then four real, then six, half real. The problem they immediately ran into was that the gang didn't have the resources for producing the number of bombs needed, even for hoaxes.

They did not tell the AI this, fearing what it might do. However, in a way the AI was onto something. Fortunately for the Citadel, the Presidium Bomb Scare largely remained a scare, and no one died from one of the blasts.

**THE MYSTERY OF THE HANAR GHOST**: There was hesitation in including this particular case, as in many ways it shares more in common with an urban legend or crackpot paranormal theory you'd see on some dark corner of the Extranet. Most people actually _only_ believe that it's that – they do not actually know that it is based on a very real C-Sec case which has been open for _five hundred years_.

Briefly, the urban legend is as follows: There is an unidentifiable hanar which can appear on its own. There are conflicting reports on how to summon it. Some say that you need to go deep into Citadel Station. Others say you need to perform a sacrificial murder of a keeper, and the more mundane say that repeating the names of the original ninety-four exiles will summon him.

There is conflicting 'information' on what this hanar _does_, exactly. The most common consensus is that the hanar will say a single profound word, which is rumored to completely change your life. The more outlandish claim that those who summon it are eaten if it is displeased, or given a token of its favor which is said to grant good luck.

Outlandish, as was said.

Here are the actual facts as they relate to this particular case. There are video recordings – a substantial amount, in fact – which show a very clear hanar that is usually alone. It can be anywhere from an alleyway, an abandoned building, a street corner, the location at first appears completely random – _appears_.

That was until someone in C-Sec made a connection. Exactly twenty-four hours later, there would be some incident which would require C-Sec intervention. Fires. Rapes. Assaults. The crime or incident varied, but someone made the connection, and needless to say, C-Sec was highly disturbed. The video footage appeared to be genuine, and the cameras were not tampered with.

It's also worth reminding people that this sighting was _before_ the hanar exiles arrived on the Citadel – initially C-Sec believed that they had found a hanar infiltrator, and Citadel Intelligence had gotten involved. No evidence was found of its presence, and it was unable to be located. Yet the hanar would keep appearing.

C-Sec has not determined exactly what the explanation is, and there are two minds about it, both with a largely equal amount of evidence. The first is that the 'hanar' is a hoax, and it's a combination of holographic technology and pyrotechnics. C-Sec _was_ successfully able to perform an accurate, if not flawless recreation, which they presented to the Council to 'debunk' the conspiracy. This explanation is currently on most fact-checking sites.

However, C-Sec is privately not convinced. There is a complete lack of motivation for the hoax, and the fact that it has persisted for five centuries is suspicious, as is the fact that when the Hanar were asked about it, they either refuse to answer, or give _cryptic_ answers, which has not exactly dissuaded certain members of C-Sec that there is _something _more to this case.

Another strong piece of evidence that is known in the highest levels of C-Sec, but not the rank and file, are the hanar who were found in stasis deep within Citadel Station. It is not inconceivable that one could have been freed. This does not explain how it has survived this long, nor its motivation, but it is a very strong coincidence.

Nonetheless, when the hanar appears, C-Sec has learned to expect something to happen in the area it is spotted. They have been able to pre-empt several planned robberies, were able to prevent a fire from spreading, and have prevented incidents from turning out significantly worse. If you want to know something unsettling?

The hanar was most recently spotted in the Citadel Council chambers. Twenty four hours later the Battle of the Citadel took place. If I were to make my own judgement, it seems that whatever this hanar is, it is no mere prank, and it might be worth attempting to find our own answer to this mystery.

**THE VALERNIAN COUPS**: One of the lesser-known aspects of Citadel history were a series of attempted coups against the Citadel Council. The reason they were not covered in the overall history is because none of them came close to being successful, and were stopped through the combined efforts of C-Sec and Citadel Intelligence.

It's worth recounting here because of the ramifications it had on C-Sec's relationship with outside organizations, and demonstrated the insecurity the STG had with the arrangement between the SIX and Thirty in forming the Citadel Council. Remember that the League of One attempted to destroy the early Council through false flags, and didn't consider that the attitude the League of One had was not prevalent throughout the newly formed STG.

Of course, the STG themselves never 'officially' attempted to plot a coup – the SIX expressly forbade any type of meddling of that nature, and a majority of the STG were willing to attempt to work with the Citadel. This was not the case for a high-ranking STG operative, known only as Valernian. He has been deeply tied to the League of One, though affiliated himself with the SIX as he disagreed about the path he believed the League was taking.

Valernian did not want to destroy the Council, and in fact believed it was a necessary step to achieving galactic supremacy. He did not trust the asari, and their melding abilities he viewed as an inherent danger that could lead to influence and infiltration at the highest levels, ensuring asari dominance.

However, he believed that the asari could be controlled if they held the levers of power and halls of influence. To that end, with a small team of loyalists, he began plotting to eliminate the young Council, as well as a number of other influential individuals, while attempting to position their replacements.

Valernian did not plan for _one_ coup – he planned for _multiple_ coups. He did not believe that appropriate individuals would be in the correct places after one elimination, but after a notable paradigm shift, it would be easier to influence the outcome. It was an extremely ambitious plan, one which employed multiple cells, operatives, and resources, each of which had no idea of the full plan, or who was necessarily behind it. Only Valernian knew the full picture, and believed that his subordinates knowing too much might threaten the integrity of the plan.

It is not known how much the STG Master was aware of the actions Valernian took, but it is almost certain that he did not know the full scope, and likely positioned Valernian to develop a contingency – not actually carry it out. Nonetheless, Valernian activated the first phase of his plan.

It did not go well. The marksmen assigned to eliminate some committee members missed, and was arrested. Some of the bombs went off prematurely, and one of the operatives assassinated the wrong person entirely. No one even got close to the Councilors themselves, and roughly fifty people died in the attempt, with twice that number injured.

Valernian's paranoia about sharing information _did_ pay off here, as the individuals that were captured were unable to share details, or even basic overviews of who had hired them, how many more were there, and so on. These _were_, however, enough to attract the attention of the larger STG, which immediately suspected Valernian (Because the attacks were similar to ones outlined in a contingency he had submitted to the STG Master). He was recalled, and officially went rogue, along with roughly two hundred STG agents.

The STG immediately informed the Citadel of what was happening, and together with CINT and C-Sec, eventually tracked down Valernian, who killed himself before he could be captured. C-Sec did not accept the STG insistence that they didn't know, and strongly believed that they'd only passed along this information because the plot had failed – an assertion the STG strongly denied.

This did not mark the end of Valernian's influence, however, and over the next four centuries Valernian's loyalists – commonly called "Valernians" – attempted to continue his work to usurp the Council and install a pro-salarian majority. They kept managing to find recruits in the STG, as well as salarian supremacists on Sur'Kesh itself. The group itself has never grown more than two hundred, but all of them are trained operatives, many of them holding positions in the STG itself.

There have been multiple attempts since then, though none of them were as impactful or consequential as Valernian's first attempt, as they are either detected beforehand, or fail in the process. The Council itself has never been in any significant danger from the Valernians. They've used information acquired from the Broker Network to plot their attacks, something which as contributed to damaging our reputation among C-Sec, who have accused the Network of facilitating threats against the Citadel – one which the Network denied.

The Valernians are still around today, though they have morphed to some degree, from making the Council more friendly to salarians, to suppressing alien influence altogether. They are in a way, comparable to Cerberus or Hades, but for salarians. The difference is that their numbers remain low – and they have shifted their goals internally, believing that the STG needs to be 'cleansed' before attempting to impact the Council directly.

Ultimately though, without Valernian, and a clear leader or mode of operation, they are an inoffensive nuisance – even the League of Zero doesn't pay any attention to them, despite certain ideological similarities. There is some evidence to suggest that the STG has actually coopted the group, and is using it for their own ends, the details of which we can only speculate at this time without further investigation.

**THE ARCHIVE HEIST**: The Citadel Archives is one of the most secure places in the galaxy, comparable to the Temple of Athame, the Mars Archives, or the Reach Research Compound. It holds the deepest secrets of Citadel Station and the Council, of which only a very privileged few are allowed to visit. It is a constant source of speculation, conspiracy, and interest from the wider galaxy.

Naturally, there are those who have tried to break into it, but they have always been amateur thieves who were captured without ever breaching the Archives themselves. Not even governments have tried to entertain the idea that they could breach the Archives, for very good reasons (as will be detailed in SECTION 7).

One might recall that some twenty years ago, the famous thieves Juolis Alios, Fiora V'Aer, and Vido Tridor announced that their next target would be 'bigger than anything they have done before'. I will remind you that this infamous trio have managed to break into dozens of the most secure banks, vaults, and locations in the galaxy, sometimes for the spoils, but more for the challenge and bragging rights.

Every major law enforcement agency had rewards out for their capture, but they remained elusive. When the trio announced their intention, the speculation was fairly narrow – there were only so many places that could fit their description, considering their previous work. Most expected they would breach the RRC, or the Archive of All Under Heaven.

In truth, they were plotting to break into the Citadel Archives.

It was likely the mystique of the Archives which drew their attention. No one really knew what was inside, and the trio wanted to break in, take something if it was interesting, and then get out. They were ready and willing to reveal the secrets of the Archives to the galaxy. The public never heard from them again after this was announced, and several months later, the rewards were removed, and it's widely believed they failed and were caught.

It is a reasonable assumption, with the odd note that there was no public statement ever released on their capture.

That was because they had not only planned the Archive Heist as they called it, but had completed it _successfully_. Yet oddly, there was no massive disclosure of the Archives, no bragging, and no public acknowledgement whatsoever. The authorities were initially baffled, as supposedly nothing important was taken from the Archives outside of some valuable metals. The Council was preparing to go into full damage control.

But nothing happened.

Two weeks later, an asari walks into the Temple of Athame and shoots herself. An autopsy confirmed that it was Fiora V'Aer, and backtracking showed that she had arrived on Thessia nearly a week ago. Her place of residence was searched, but nothing useful was found. Witnesses say that she appeared to be walking in a trance-like state, and her face was blank before she killed herself.

That was baffling enough, until C-Sec was alerted to a video that had been posted by Vido Tridor, allegedly under an alternate account. C-Sec was able to lock the video from public viewing, and a review of it raised even more questions. Vido, usually the most energetic of the trio, was speaking slowly and deliberately, out of character for the salarian thief.

More confusing still was the content of the video itself, which was centered around a number of worlds in hanar and batarian space, mostly aquatic ones, and his lucidity gradually worsened as the five-hour video continued, claiming that the hanar, batarians, and asari were puppets to a 'dark cabal'.

He called the homeworlds of each three species, the 'triangle of evil', and one of the last lucid things he said was that "The names hold the power. Do not let them share their names." He fully breaks down after this point, transitioning between understandable languages and pure gibberish. With the video, C-Sec was able to help locate him, and they found him also dead, hanging from a makeshift noose.

His belongings were similarly incomprehensible. There were a series of notes that had rows of numbers on them, along with badly-drawn spheres and oceans. There was some speculation that they could have been coordinates, but C-Sec was never able to discern any pattern from the numbers, and have accepted it as the writings of a man who had gone insane.

Although now that two of the three thieves were dead – by their own hand – C-Sec was growing concerned. They made a presentation before the Council, and inquired as to anything which could be responsible for this, as the thieves had never displayed suicidal or depressive tendencies before.

The Council never released a response.

Several months passed, and C-Sec suddenly received an unnamed transmission that had a series of numbers, clearly coordinates for a region of the Terminus Systems. C-Sec arranged for a team to investigate, and found what they believed to be the home base of the trio – it was a small space station that was unknown by any existing regional power.

Inside they found the corpse of Juolis Alios, the last of the trio. Like the previous ones, it appeared to be suicide, though done through an overdose. _Unlike_ the previous bodies, Juolis left behind very detailed notes, and for the first time C-Sec was able to piece together exactly what had happened.

Through a journal and through self-recorded videos, Juolis described the heist. He stated that from the moment they had crossed the threshold, he had immediately felt that something was wrong; like they were being watched. He believed that it had been too easy to break in, and was afraid that it was a trap, and described the feeling of dread as an 'Intense, primordial fear'.

There is very little actual description of the Archives, unfortunately, Juolis was more focused on describing his fears and feelings, though he outright says that they did not get far. Unlike the official reports, he says they didn't take anything because all of them were spooked when they heard a voice say a Word.

He always capitalizes it, because he described it as the moment where he knew he needed to get out, and he immediately called off the heist. He describes the Word as a curse, something where he felt that his soul was laid bare to the thing which had spoken. He was not overly religious, so using that term is curious.

The feeling of being watched and of dread did not fade as they made their escape, and he described how all of them had been shaken. He describes his dreams as being trapped in an "Ocean of Nothing", and "Purgatory" that he nearly overdosed on stimulants just to keep awake. The trio, once so close together, fell apart. Vido he describes as going insane, and Fiora became almost comatose, and wracked with indescribable guilt to the point she left on an odyssey where she said she would "Find herself, or end the nightmare".

Juolis also appears to slowly lose his mind, as the notes and videos progress. He claims that there are times where he's not in control of his own body, that he often has suicidal thoughts, and that he thinks in languages that are not his own. Almost all of his later notes are written in a language that is an odd mixture of asari, hanar, and prothean symbols.

He stops making videos after a certain date, and all of his notes are numerous mathematical formulas, all of which are highly advanced, and which he should _not_ have known about. Several scientists have noted that they could relate to gravitational studies, dimensional studies, or quantum physics, and couldn't figure out what he was trying to learn. It does appear that he _was_ making copies and sending them to a recipient, though C-Sec was unable to determine _where_ it had gone – the relay it had been sent through could point to Hanar territory, Batarian territory, the Perseus Veil, and Terminus Systems. Whatever he was doing, he wanted _someone_ to know it.

As for how C-Sec had been notified, it appeared that had been a failsafe Juolis installed, as he feared he was losing control of his body (real or imagined), he wanted someone to come looking. With all three suspects dead from highly suspicious means, C-Sec ended the case with far more questions than answers.

In their final report to the Council, they once more asked for any information that could explain what had happened, but their requests were denied, and the Council pointed to the clear insanity of the individuals, asserting that they likely had untreated mental conditions which had grown more severe.

No one, the Council included, seemed to believe that explanation, but C-Sec reluctantly closed the case, as there was no operational reason to keep it open. Fortunately for us, our investigation into Citadel Station _has_ provided an explanation for what happened – please refer to SECTION 7 for the details of Citadel Station.

The whole case reinforces that the Citadel Archives are among the most secure places in the galaxy – and with this context, they have protections unlike any others in the galaxy. Any investigation or penetration of the Archives should be treated with extreme caution – and only in cases of absolute necessity.


End file.
